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Poppy book cover

Poppy (1995) by AVI is such a cute little children’s novel. It is the first of many animal-themed books in the Tales from Dimwood Forest series. Poppy tells the story of a small deer mouse, named Poppy, who must save her family from the tyrannical owl Mr. Ocax.

Little Poppy, unlike the rest of her family, is quite curious and adventurous. Not unlike Remy from Ratatouille, Poppy dreams of going against her family’s traditions and leaving the nest. But soon, she makes an enemy of the great horned owl Mr. Ocax. She must then negotiate with the owl before she can do anything else.

I give this book a five star rating. It has a wonderful simple story to go along with funny and engaging characters. AVI is very much a children’s author — and a good one at that. He knows how to engage children in many topics that could easily go beyond them, since much of what he writes is historical fiction.

Poppy is geared toward children ages 8-12, but it could be an enjoyable read-aloud for children under 8, as well. I would especially recommend this book for kids who are fascinated with animals. The book includes different kinds of mice, a great horned owl, and a porcupine, and if you read the other books in the series, you’ll find beavers and foxes too!

More Books Like This

If you like Poppy, you may also like its sequel, Poppy & Rye (1997), and prequel, Ragweed (1999). 

If you’re interested in historical fiction by AVI, I would recommend Newbery Award winner Crispin: The Cross of Lead (2002) or The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990).

– by Abbie Call


Read next: Mansfield Park Book Review.

Portrait of Abbie Call