This was a book out in the early 1950’s. It might have been a golden book, but I could not find it in their listing. The first line was “This is the house of Mrs. Mouse and these are her children three.” It was book for young children; it had illustrations. I don’t remember anything else, but that first line has stayed in mind all these years.
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
Matilda, MacElroy and Mary by Jessie Home Fairweather?
I have the book from my childhood. It’s called Matilda MacElroy and Mary. Unfortunately, it is crumbling and missing the first page so I don’t see the author’s name.
Although those names sound familiar, I don’t think that is the book.
http://www.goldenbook.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=1473
This thread says that the book Matilda, MacElroy, and Mary has the lines “This is the house of Mrs. Mouse and these are her children three,
And this is the tale of how they live and play like you and me.”
“Three little hats, three little coats, three little pairs of boots
And ready for a rainy day, three little bumbershoots!””
So I think maybe this is the book you are looking for after all…
Or there is an ebay listing right now for a book called “Three Little Mice” which looks to be very similar, maybe the same series or a different title on the same book. https://www.ebay.com/itm/THREE-LITTLE-MICE-Vintage-Childrens-Tell-A-Tale-Book-Matilda-Mary-MacElroy/281963589620?hash=item41a656eff4:g:i4kAAOSw46BZuLs1
My favorite childhood book in the early 50s-I still have it!
I used to read this book to my sister so frequently that I had it memorized. So in the Third Grade when the teacher said “I want you to all memorize something, even only one line, and recite it for the class.” When my turn came, I stood up on a bench in front of the class and recited the entire book without one single hesitation. The room was silent (imagine).
Did it end with ” wash your face and brush your teeth and tumble into bed?”
I remember the lines about the bumbershoots.
Yes, everyone… These were the lines from the book. I didn’t remember the title. My mother read this book to me before I could read. Does anyone remember more of the words?
“This is the house of Mrs. Mouse and these are her children three,
And this is the tale of how they live and play like you and me.”
“Three little hats, three little coats, three little pairs of boots
And ready for a rainy day, three little bumbershoots!”
I loved that book!
Yes, that is it! I had this book too and I’m quite sure it was from the Golden Book series. I always loved that word “bumbershoot.” I make up excuses to use it whenever appropriate–much more fun than umbrella.
Thanks, Lorraine, Judy, Hannah, Katie, and Leslie,
It’s nice to share these memories from our childhood during shelter in place!
I love that book, too. Three Little Mice by Jesse Home Fairweather, pictures by I.E. Robinson. Whitman Publishing Co., Racine, WI. Copyright MCML. I treasure it, even though I am old now.
This is the house of Mrs. Mouse;
These are her children three-
And this is the tale of how they live
And play-like you and me!
Three little bowls, And three little chairs,
Three little pairs of boots,
And, ready for A rainy day-
Three little bumbershoots!
The little hats, Three little coats
Hung neatly side by side,
And three little holes Where- if danger comes-
Three little mice can hide!
Matilda is the oldest mouse-
The MacElroy-Then Mary.
Sometimes they’re good-
As good as gold,
Sometimes-they’re most contrary!
Matilda always Likes to help
To keep things clean and neat,
And sometimes stirs Up little cakes
That are so good to eat!
Young MacElroy, Like other boys,
Is jolly and a tease,
And little Mary, By the hour-
Cuts paper dolls like these!
This is the school Where they go to learn
What clever mice must do-
The A B C’s Of crumbs and cheese
And mouse politeness, too!
These things
The teacher tells them-
“Be kind to one another.
Learn to keep still So-o-o still – so-o-o still,
And always mind your mother!
“Don’t be deceived By pussy cats,
However kind they look-
“And never let Yourself be seen
By someone called ‘The Cook.’
“This, above all, Remember, mice,
Your ‘Thank You’ and your ‘Please.’
“There never were In all this world
Such magic words as these!”
With lessons done They’re off to play
In summer, by the mill.
On wintry days, With squeals of joy,
They’re sliding down the hill.
If you knew where To look in spring,
You’d see them playing ball,
And filling baskets To the top-
With berries-in the fall.
Then-home again- Where Mother Mouse
Serves cheese and cake-crumbs, too,
And reads to them Before the fire
As all good mothers do!
The clock strikes eight,
They brush their teeth,
And every sleepyhead,
Like all good children, Say their prayers,
And tumble into bed!
Thanks Hannah for filling us in on all the words to the story. What a beautiful memory!