The Malaqawatch Mice and the Church That Sailed

Ellie Contursi is a children’s librarian at the London Public Library.

Soft watercolour illustrations and a gentle, lilting text capture the
true story of a church in Nova Scotia that was moved by barge in the
early 1800s. Instead of focusing on the people who attended this church,
the author directs the reader’s attention to the wee creatures that
inhabit it.

When the church mice overhear that the church will be moved to Iona by
boat, they decide they must go, too. The problem is the mice have no
transportation and, therefore, need a sailboat. In order to raise the
funds to purchase one, they work hard as a team and achieve their goal.
When the day comes to set sail, however, they realize they have
forgotten one of the boat’s most important parts—the sail. But all
turns out well. As they watch their home transported downriver, a strong
breeze catches their beloved clan quilt and it becomes the sail they
need.

This delightful rhyming tale is recommended.