written by David Petersen

The beauty of Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 lies in how seriously the material is handled by writer and illustrator David Petersen. Although it is a children's story, it never feels like it is aimed solely for younger audiences. There is a depth and richness within the narrative that adults will appreciate, and the story is well told. The events the Mouse Guard must confront are oftentimes dark reminders of life's harshness, particularly in the wild environments of the animal kingdom, but their success is always fairly won and logically dictated by the narrative energy of Petersen's script. Drawing inspiration from the rich volumes of fantasy narratives and medieval history, he has crafted a tale that has real weight to it.

Having survived a rebellion that threatened their way of life, the mice of Lockhaven now find themselves short of supplies and one, a soldier of the Mouse Guard, lies on the verge of death after being wounded and poisoned. Led by Kenzie, the Guard is dispatched to the neighboring cities of the Mouse Territories to gather food and medicine. After retrieving elixir to help their fallen friend, the Guard becomes divided after Kenzie and two others fall into a sinkhole and are forced to make their way through Darkheather, an ancient weasel settlement that appears abandoned. Above ground, the Queen's ambassador, Celanawe—also known as the Black Axe, a mouse of legend—and Lieam, a fresh recruit to the guard, attempt to make it back to Lockhaven with the recovered supplies but find themselves hunted by a horned owl.
 
The mice themselves are a bit of a surprise as heroes, given their small statures and position in the food chain. They are a natural underdog to root for, and their adventures carry a subtle undercurrent of threat and menace, especially as many of the villains they face are significantly larger. The creatures Petersen populates his story with take on a mythic sense of otherness in their anthropomorphizing, which is further enhanced by the quick sketches of history he provides them. The colony of bats that have come to occupy Darkheather are distrusted and unwanted in the world. Spited by both the winged animals of the sky and the furred animals of the land, they are forced to exist in underground caverns. In the trees above, the horned owl looms, a massive predator stalking the Black Axe and Lieam across the snow-covered land, promising them only death.
 
There is a prevalent element of danger at every turn, reaching from deep inside the dungeons of Darkheather to the wintery skies above, and even within Lockhaven as a traitorous mouse threatens the safety of everyone. Although death is a persistent theme, and not all of the mice survive the dangers of their winter trek, the story itself never becomes bogged down in grimness. The mice are consistently threatened by the obstacles of nature, but each segment serves the grand sense of adventure that is at the heart of the narrative. Mouse Guard is a quest tale, like The Lord of the Rings before it, and there is a true sense of excitement and heroism throughout.
 
Petersen is as deft in his illustrations as he is in his scripting. His visual style is highly cinematic, and the story unfolds at a rapid clip. His use of scale is tremendous, particularly in the confrontations between mice and owl. Readers will no doubt understand the insurmountable danger of that confrontation, and Petersen conveys it with wicked style, conveying the fear and heroism that plays out in a battle for survival. The members of Mouse Guard are a pleasant band of adventurers, cutely drawn and smartly executed. Each Guard is well illustrated and clearly defined from one another in important ways—the color of their cloaks, their weapons of choice, their fur, and, most importantly, their personalities. Each has distinctive traits that separate and define them, allowing the mice to have their own voices throughout.
 
The rich characterizations and wonderful artwork will quickly draw in readers, regardless of age. Petersen presents a strong story on a grand scale that children will easily fall in love with, but which parents, or the young at heart, won't mind reading either. Mouse Guard works on multiple levels, providing plenty of thrills and exciting visuals for younger readers, but adult readers will likely find a lot to enjoy here too, without feeling talked down to or alienated by the author. There is a fair amount of exposition throughout, but it is crisply told without ever getting cutesy. There are important themes of death, danger, and loyalties in the aftermath of war that could raise questions and lead to important conversations, but the main aim of the book is to entertain and introduce characters that readers will connect with and instantly want to see succeed. Although it is grounded within the complexities of nature, the story itself is fantastical in its presentation. With Mouse Guard, Petersen has smartly developed a world that exists around us in mythical fashion, crafting an exciting, action-packed fantasy adventure that will capture the hearts and imagination of readers young and old.