The Mouse and His Child

The Mouse and His Child is a novel by Russell Hoban first published in 1967. It has been described as "a classic of children's literature, and possibly the book for which Mr. Hoban is best known". It was adapted into an animated film in 1977.

The book was out of print until a new edition with new illustrations was released in 2001. The mouse and child of the title are a pair of toy mice, joined by the hands and operated by clockwork. The story tells of their beginning in a toy store, their purchase and eventual discarding, their pursuit by a malicious rat and their quest to become self-winding.

The story is different from most children's literature and shares some commonalities with E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, particularly in an occasional use of advanced vocabulary, a willingness to include adult themes, and talking animals.