Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo , Illustrations by Carmen Mok

Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo, illustrations by Carmen Mok
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   80 pages
Publishing:   April 30th, 2024
Source:  Edelweiss +

Opening Line:  "Orris the rat had made a nest for himself in a hole in the wall and papered it with pages from a discarded book." 

Orris lives a fairly secluded life in an abandoned old barn with only his treasured red velvet slipper, a yellow marble and a sardine can with a sardine king on the cover for company.  Then his once quiet and peaceful barn is disrupted by a loud screech and cries for help.  Slowly, Orris creeps toward the hole leading further into the barn and peeks out to find that a small owl has caught one of their claws in a mousetrap nailed to the floor.  The owl continued to call out that they were stuck and needed help, but too frightened, Orris turned and returned to his nest saying that the Owl was done for.

You see, Orris has his reservations because owls and rats are natural enemies, to help would be foolish and only lead to being captured, or worse eaten.  Why should he get involved?  But then Orris catches a glimpse of his prized sardine can with the king's message of making the "good and noble choice, " and is encouraged to venture from the safety of his nest and approach the owl.  Timble, the owl tells Orris that he wouldn't eat Orris and so despite his misgivings, Orris helps to release the owl.  What follows is an unlikely friendship.  

Orris and Timble is the first book in this new trilogy written by Kate DiCamillo.  It's a quiet story about a timid rat who overcomes their initial fear and chooses to do a good and noble deed by helping the very predator that has been known to hunt them.  The story is filled with colorful watercolor illustrations showing Orris as this small, brown timid rat and Timble as a white owl with fluffy wings, and yellow eyes.  I liked how the illustrations of Timble's facial expressions didn't make him look like a large menacing owl.  It gives the reader the impression that these two could potentially become friends as Timble looks scared and a little bewildered.  I also really liked the importance that storytelling played in Orris and Timble developing a friendship.  How Timble wanted to hear more stories and how Orris began to anticipate and look forward to Orris coming to the barn.  This is a very sweet story that younger kids would enjoy.  A wonderful addition to fans of Kate DiCamillo's other books.