by Diana Hockley

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win either an e-book or print copy of Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat in Hawaii, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Alice Mongoose lives with her parents in a big house in India, where they happily eat eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Alice goes to the market one day and sees an advertisement encouraging mongooses to go to Hawaii. Flushed with excitement, Alice and her parents pack her suitcases and steam-trunk (they didn’t have back-packs in those days!) and she sets sail for her new job.

Imagine Alice’s horror when she discovers what her new job in the sugar cane is to be! Alice refuses the job and looks for accommodation, and to her surprise meets Alistair Rat. Alistair gets a surprise as well!

Mary Pfaff’s book has been re-issued by her granddaughter, Dorothy, and has lost nothing of its charm in the almost 100 years since it was first written. The illustrations may be, to our eyes, old-fashioned, but for me, that is the essence of their charm. Exquisitely colored, they are a delight.

Dorothy Pfaff and her artist dad have also brought out a coloring book, Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat. Also available is Alice and Alistair’s Hawaiian Christmas, both of which would make wonderful presents for that birthday, or Christmas presents for the grandchildren! I just loved this little book and am sure all of you will too.

To enter to win either an e-book or print copy (winner’s choice) of Alice Mongoose and Alistair Rat in Hawaii, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “alice,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 30, 2016. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Advertise with KRL and a portion of your ad fees can go to an animal rescue, including rat rescue Rattie Ratz.

Diana Hockley is an Australian mystery author who lives in a southeast Queensland country town. She is the devoted slave of five ratties & usually finds an excuse to mention them in her writing, including her recent novel, The Naked Room. Since retiring from running a traveling mouse circus for 10 years, she is now the mouse judge for the Queensland Rat & Mouse Club shows. To learn more, check out her website.