His worst fears start to cement when a yellow-eyed, thin-lipped, sharp-tongued rat comes to his shop and says with a dreadful smile, 'I've come for Linka Perflinger's watch.' Hermux isn't about to fork over his beloved's watch without a claim check, and ends up following the rat. Even nasty encounters with his neighbor (the horribly garish and affected cosmetics tycoon Tucka Mertslin) and pleasant interludes with his artist friend Mirrin don't distract him from his new heart-quickening obsession. He drafts a slightly unpleasant, then desperate, then not-too-sweet, not-too-sour letter to her and awaits her response. When a week goes by without word from her, he doesn't know whether to be worried or angry. Little does he know that this brief rendezvous with the jaunty adventuress will change his life forever. Linka Perflinger, who unexpectedly visits his shop requesting an emergency rush repair of her wristwatch. He relaxes in a flannel shirt printed with pictures of cheeses from around the world, he has a caged pet ladybug named Terfle, he writes endearing thank-you letters to the universe each night, and he has a big heart-a heart that aches for the fearless aviatrix Ms. The first in a series, I hope to convince the kiddos to read it while I move along to the second.It's impossible not to like Hermux Tantamoq, the watchmaking mouse. It reminded me of nothing so much as the wonderful, from-my-childhood movie The Rescuers in tone and flavor.

But even though I didn't figure out the entirety of the whodunit, I thoroughly enjoyed this adventurous and delightful novel. Hoeye leaves a trail of clues for an astute reader to solve the mystery but I must admit I'm not that reader, even when the book is written for children less than half my age. The plot zips along at a good clip with revelations, both expected and unexpected, coming fast and furious. The evil villains are ruthless and sneaky.

The characters surrounding Hermux are eccentric and fun. This plunges him into a kidnapping mystery with a biological bent. He knows something is wrong when a less than savory rat asks for Linka's watch and so this mild-mannered mouse decides to follow the rat and see where he goes. He takes great pride in his work and so is a little put off when daredevil aviatrix Linka Perflinger leaves her watch to be repaired, admonishing Hermux that it must keep perfect time, and them fails to return to pick it up. Hermux Tantamoq is a mouse who works in a watch and clock shop.

Show More book that is liable to appeal to all of the residents under five feet here.

Time stops for no mouse