Stuart Little (1945)
by E.B. White
The second son of the Little family turns out to be a mouse, whom they nevertheless name Stuart and raise as their own.
I was somewhat underwhelmed by this family classic.
Stuart's "adventures," such as riding on a toy boat and going down a drain, are related briefly and dully, without developing much tension or excitement.
The characters are unfailingly stiff and polite with each other; even the interactions between family members often come off like conversations between strangers at a cocktail party.
The Little family's treatment of Stuart seems quite neglectful as well, if not downright abusive.
Mr. Little, in particular, seems to think nothing of sending his little son into potentially dangerous situations, such as down a drainpipe to fetch a ring.
At one point, the book describes how it becomes Stuart's job to go inside the piano while it is being played and hold on to a key that sticks, even though doing so subjects him to loud sounds that affect his hearing for hours afterward.
"The Adventures of Stuart Little" (Italian)
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