Review of “John Wesley Church Mouse”

Standor5865 · Post by **Standor5865** » 30 Oct 2021, 13:33

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "“John Wesley Church Mouse”" by Evelyn Anne Johnson-Neal.]

4 out of 4 stars

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John Wesley Church Mouse by Evelyn Anne Johnson-Neal is a children's book that revolves around John Wesley Church Mouse VI (JW) and his devotion to God and the Chapin church in South Carolina. It was the day before Christmas, and to ensure that everything was in order for celebrations, John Wesley Church Mouse VI, like his fathers before him, went about checking on staff members. From checking on preparations at the main office and children's wing to touring all the halls, JW hopes to achieve his aim in time, despite an issue that will pose a significant threat to completing his mission: his arthritic knee.

I will strongly advise readers to pick up this book to find out if JW achieves his aim and to pick up on all the insightful lessons dished through this short story, with devotion to God in spite of difficult odds and tribulations at the center of the messages passed by the author. This central theme is one that I believe children will benefit a lot from, and it is important they learn about it from an early age, as it will help provide a foundation for not just faithfulness to God but also a resilient mindset.

I also think that the author's use of a mouse as the main character is a brilliant touch to the book, as it shows us that size and status do not matter in service to God. This is something else that children can learn from. JW's story will also be very easy to connect to since readers will follow not just him but also his family's journey in service.

The author employs more words and side characters than I would have liked in narrating the story, which is the only criticism of the book that I have. Nevertheless, we get to experience every character and event through the colorful illustrations that bring them to life. These illustrations adequately capture the feeling of Christmas as well.

Furthermore, John Wesley Church Mouse by Evelyn Anne Johnson-Neal was an exceptionally well-edited book, as I did not encounter any errors while reading. Overall, the book passes vital messages that I would want my children to learn and includes a relatable main character that is worthy of emulation. The minor issues I discussed did not affect my reading too much. Therefore, the book deserves a rating of four out of four stars. Children between the ages of four and nine who like fantasy and Christmas stories will enjoy this book.

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“John Wesley Church Mouse”
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Post by **Chijindu Ifedigbo** » 28 Nov 2021, 04:39

Wow, i loved how it shows us that size and status do not matter in service to God. Awesome review

Review Writer · Post by **Review Writer** » 28 Nov 2021, 16:40

This book seems to provide a lot of lessons for children. And I agree with you that it is a brilliant concept as the author used mouse as the main character

Rachel Kubus · Post by **Rachel Kubus** » 29 Nov 2021, 22:09

Awesome review! Only confusing part was the nickname given to the mouse is also the abbreviation for Jehovah Witness which definitely has nothing to do with the story. Sounds like a cute tale to get my niece and nephew for Christmas.

Susan Gibbs · Post by **Susan Gibbs** » 01 Dec 2021, 03:54

This sounds like a charming story about a mouse checking that everything is in order for the Christmas celebrations at the church. It promotes the important lessons of resilience in hardships, preserving in faith, and the fact that we all have a mission to complete, despite our size. I feel sorry for the mouse as he has an arthritic knee.

Immaculate06 · Post by **Immaculate06** » 21 Dec 2021, 03:05

Devotion to God by a human is a normal, but devotion to God by a mouse is quite different. I love the premise of the book, good illustration. Thanks for your review.