It's MMGM with a review of Orris and Timble: Lost and Found by Kate DiCamillo, illustrations by Carmen Mok

Orris and Timble: Lost and Found by Kate DiCamillo, illustrations by Carmen Mok
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format:  Hardcover
Number of pages:   80 pages
Publishing:   April 29th, 2025
Source:  Publisher

Opening Line: "The rat had made himself a nest out of the pages of discarded books, and in the nest were his treasures: a yellow marble, a red velvet slipper, and a piece of Top-Notch Butterscotch wrapped in foil."

Orris, the rat, narrates a story each evening to his friend Timble, an owl during their visit to the barn.  Orris is a well-read rat, having numerous books.  He even has the one about a princess who "always vows to return by the light of the stars and by the light of the moon."  Timble dreams of seeing the moon and stars, but Orris says that it's impossible.  Timble starts to grow larger and larger until one night when they fail to return to the barn.  

Orris continues to patiently await his friend's return, only growing worried when a second day passes without a sign of Timble.  All that remains is his favorite sardine can with the image of a fish wearing a crown that he refers to as the sardine king.  Although, the sardine king never seems to respond to a single question from Orris.  

Feeling both disgruntled and sad, Orris tries to persuade himself that rats and owls can't be friends and keeps busy by straightening his nest.  Suddenly his friend's voice calls out his name.  Can he find it within himself to forgive Timble for the worry that he caused, and for making him think that their friendship might have ended? 

In Lost and Found, Orris is tasked with making a good and noble choice once again.  He saved Timble in the first book from a trap, despite his fears that rats and owls are natural enemies.  Now, Orris must decide whether it's good and noble to forgive a friend once you've been disappointed.  Kate DiCamillo's books are always such a treat to read.  What may seem like a simple story of a rat and an owl turns into this beautiful story of friendship and trust. As the two friends sit on the ledge of the barn window, gazing up at the moon, Timble tells Orris the story of how an owl became lost.  Timble explains that their desire to see the moon and stars caused him to fly too high and lose his way.  However, knowing that Orris was waiting, he kept searching until the barn finally came into view. 

The repetitive quality of the story, with the line about the stars and moon, and also how the opening lines echo those of the first book really appealed to me.  I love the soft watercolor illustrations by Carmen Mok inside the barn and how they beautifully draw the reader into the story.  My favorites are the full-page illustrations of Orris and Timble looking out at the night sky.  The Orris and Timble books are on the younger side of middle-grade but will surely be a hit for fans of Kate DiCamillo's other books.

**A huge thank you to Candlewick Press for the hardcover ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE