4 things that you didn’t know about your favourite book Stuart Little 

The 1999 Hollywood blockbuster Stuart Little is a favourite among almost all of you. It is based on American author EB White’s first children’s novel of the same name published in 1945. In the book, Stuart is a two-inch-tall boy who resembles a mouse. Bold and brave despite his small height, Stuart is known for his courage and wit.  

For those who aren’t acquainted with the cute mouse, Stuart’s heroic adventures include recovering his mother’s ring from a sewer, racing a toy boat in a Central Park Pond and climbing inside a piano to repair the keys for his brother! Hold on, there’s more. After the vicious house cat, Snowbell, scares him away, Stuart sets off on a mission to rescue his pet bird, Margalo. Amazing, huh? While most of you know many of these fascinating tales, there are many things that you didn’t know about.  

E.B. White’s inspiration behind Stuart 
White’s expressive, spontaneous writing caught the attention of readers of all ages. In 1927, he joined The New Yorker magazine as a writer and editor. While travelling in a train, he fell asleep one day. This is when he dreamed of a small character with the features of a nicely dressed mouse, who was brave and adventurous. Thus, Stuart was born! If you like Stuart's story, you should check out some of E.B. White’s other works too. Two of his other children’s books include engaging animal characters: Charlotte's Web (1952, films in 1973 and 2006), The Trumpet of the Swan (1970). 

The opening sentence of the book changed 
The opening line of the first chapter of Stuart Little book is ‘When Mrs Frederick C. Little’s second son was born’. This line suggests that Mrs Little gave birth to a mouse look-a-like! After reading it, Harold Ross, a co-founder of the New Yorker, advised White to have the Littles adopt Stuart instead. This is probably because the thought of a woman giving birth to a mouse felt a little too off-putting! If you read Stuart Little today, you’ll see that it starts with, ‘Mrs. Frederick C. Little’s second son has arrived’. 

Stuart was not a mouse originally! 
There is no doubt that the main character in the 1999 movie Stuart Little is a mouse. Not only does he look like a furry, white lab mouse, but he also refers to himself as a mouse! But in the story’s opening and throughout the book, White refers to Stuart as a ‘boy’, ‘man’ or ‘person’. Despite several comparisons to mice, he never directly calls Stuart a mouse! However, he describes Stuart as a ‘baby’ who ‘looked very much like a mouse in every manner’. 

Not everyone loved the book 
While many individuals loved White’s debut into children’s literature, many readers were disappointed. Malcolm Cowley, a book critic for the New York Times, disagreed that White had produced anything close to a masterpiece. Another reviewer was of the opinion that White writes funny situations rather than telling a story. Regardless of what critics say, Stuart’s story has motivated kids worldwide because it teaches us to be brave and strong despite our flaws.