I received an electronic ARC from Disney Book Group through NetGalley.
Gadget from Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers steps out of their shadow and forms her own group - Mouse Watch. Her agents battle for good all over the world. All Bernie Skampersky wants is to become an agent. Her invitation comes and she sets off on this adventure. Her commitment began after her brother was killed by an escaping convict rat. Ironically, she's paired with a rat who wants to be part of the Mouse Watch for reasons of his own. Together, they are the only ones who aren't captured by the R.A.T.S. when one of their own betrays them. They end up rescuing humans and mice before they've even completed one day of training.
Gilbert introduces the characters and environment and builds on this to spin a tale of adventure with just enough suspense for mid to upper elementary level readers. Parents will remember Chip and Dale but readers will pick up enough background from the story to make the connection and see this new direction. A few soft plot points don't change the overall effect. A cliffhanger ending hints at further adventures to come.

What a fun, fast paced read! The inclusion of all the technology was exciting. I love the nostalgia invoked by this Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers spin-off in which Gadget makes an appearance. I am excited to share this with young readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My students would like this book even though I was a bit bored and could figure out what was going to happen next. Just a fun story for the kiddos. Thank you to Netgalley for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books kids will love, even though I found it predictable, with characters that lacked depth. I was frustrated by Bernie's interactions with Jarvis. It was obvious from the moment he's introduced that he's a good rat Bernie does have a good reason to mistrust rats, but she never showed any real wrestling with the idea that maybe she was wrong about him. However, my opinion doesn't matter. This will be a hit with kids. Lots of action and interesting superhero gadgets. Recommend to Geronimo Stilton fans.

Entertaining story of an adventurous young mouse who is determined to join the Mouse Watch to help mice everywhere!

This book was really cute. I could see reading it during a read aloud time in the classroom. Finding out how Bernie makes it into just trying out for the Great Mouse Detectives. The Mouse Detectives are back and are trying to save the day against the R.A.T.S. when Bernie comes right in for training. Kids will love to hear the mice become spies and will love the main character Bernie.

This was really good. It was fast paced, the characters were likable, and all the technology was fun. I liked that it was a spin-off of Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. They don't make an appearance, but Gadget does (and she was the best anyway). I think kids will enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the ARC! "The Mouse Watch" is an adventurous and fun chapter book for kids. Reminded me of cartoons from my childhood, that nostalgia factor with Disney. Plenty of thrills and detective skills within the pages to keep things interesting.

Cute story of mice who run secret society to rescue mice and humans from the evil half-rat, half-robot led group who wants to dominate humans.

Bernadette "Bernie" has wanted nothing more in her life than to be a part of Gadget Hackworth's secret Mouse Watch society. She has self-trained and repeatedly applied to the elite mouse secret agent society for years. One day, after a particularly dangerous stunt in which she breaks her leg, she receives notice that she has been selected as a training recruit for Mouse Watch. When she arrives at Mouse Watch, she is horrified to learn the other new recruit, Jarvis, is a RAT! Not trusting her new partner, even though she has been reassured by her trainers that he has been thoroughly vetted, Bernie vows to be on guard around Jarvis while also becoming determined to to excel at every piece of training offered to her. In the middle of their first training session, the Mouse Watch headquarters are abandoned to an emergency and Bernie and Jarvis are left to fend for themselves in what ultimately becomes their first mission.

Elementary school aged readers will enjoy the action of this book which is softened by the descriptions of the human items that have been repurposed for mouse use and the cool tech gadgets developed by the mice themselves. This books reminded me of a modern, updated version of Disney's "The Rescuers." The ending left enough room for the possibility of companion books.

The Mouse Watch is a cute, fun, and adventurous story about some mighty mice who are daring and brave as they fight against the evil R.A.T.S. They not only save humans but other creatures as well.

We find out at the beginning that Bernie really wants to be a Mouse Watch agent and she will do about anything to do so even if she breaks her leg. She wants to do it mainly because her brother would be proud of her if he was still around but he was killed by a rat, but he wasn’t just an ordinary rat. Because her brother was killed by a rat she has a very big prejudice against them.

Bernie’s wish comes true when she gets an invitation to be a recruit, but she finds out that not all recruits become agents. She also finds out that she isn’t the only new recruit that a rat named Jarvis, who is a coding wiz, is also a recruit. She is not happy with this because rats are never in the mouse watch and she of course doesn’t like rats so she takes an immediate disliking to him without getting to know him.

While in their first training simulation something happens and they end up being left alone in the headquarters having to figure out on their own what happened. Not a mouse watch agent insight they find out that the R.A.T.S have stolen Gadgets sleeping formula and turned it into something else that is making humans walk around like zombies. Rats in lab coats are giving orders and there is one in charge who is bent on taking over the world.

Bernie has to learn to try and trust Jarvis even though all she can think about is how a rat killed her brother, but she learns that not all rats are the same and working together they make a good team.

I really liked this novel and thought it has a good underlying theme of not judging others because of a prejudice you grew up with that you need to get to the person (or rat).

Bernie was a very flawed character and at times she really aggravated me with how much she wouldn’t even give Jarvis a chance. She didn’t even ask him why he wanted to join mouse watch since he is the only rat in a group of mice. She just instantly judged him and thought him a traitor. Thankfully she does learn her lesson and grows as a character. I really liked Jarvis as he was always so polite and tried to be friends with Bernie and never sneered at her for being a mouse and small.

I think this would be a fun book for young readers and I think adults can have fun with it as well. I think one thing I wish it had was illustrations. This would have been a perfect book for a few illustrations so we could see Bernie and Jarvis in action as well as the bad guys. I highly recommend this one!

This story is a fun way to introduce Mouse Watch ala Rescue Rangers to a new generation of kids. Parents who loved that cartoon now have kids of their own, and as usual, Disney is ready for the nostalgia buy-in.
I only have watched RR cartoons with my kids, and I caught quite a few references to the old cartoon. Even if you didn't view it, though, you'd follow the plot just fine.
Bernie Skampersky is our primary character mouse, who eventually defeats the rats and gets accepted into Mouse Watch. It was pretty fun and looked to be a new series if it sells well.

This was a nice surprise and is apparently based on a spin-off from Chip and Dale and the Rescue Rangers, a kids cartoon from way back when. The show was a little bit after my time, but I remember catching an episode here and there when my brother watched it. This story focuses on what may have been a minor character on the show and expands it to be a full-fledged Mouse Watch organization, the brainchild of Gadget Hackwrench, a famous inventor who has created their society to protect their world from the R.A.T.S (Rogue Animal Thieves Society). This book was a lot of fun and full of cool spy gadgets, corny cheese jokes, an evil villain, and a girl who dreams to join the watch, ever since her brother was killed by a monstrous rat. The huge theme here is that working together as a team is always better and more effective than doing things alone and that everyone is equally important from the head honcho all the way down to the smallest member of the team. While the message was a bit heavy handed sometimes, I still very much enjoyed this story and think it is perfect for 3rd-6th graders, although clearly older folks can enjoy it too. The description of this book as Mission Impossible meets Mice in Black is perfect.

Thanks to #JJGilber, #NetGalley, and #DisneyBookGroup for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

ot a problem with RATS (the Rogue Animal Thieves Society)? Never fear – this is a job for the Mouse Watch.

The Mouse Watch tells the story of Bernie Skampersky; a small, young, brave mouse who tries everything to catch the attention of famed mouse inventor Gadget Hackwrench and be welcomed into the Mouse Watch: a group of elite, crime-solving, tech-savvy agents. Her mission to prove herself as being anything but small compliments the Watch’s mission: to save the world.

Who better to bring to life a Disney story described as “Mission Impossible meets ‘Mice in Black’” than Disney veteran Jason Lethcoe? Lethcoe, who published The Mouse Watch under his pseudonym J.J. Gilbert, has worked in Hollywood for most of his life as a director, animator, producer, and storyboard artist for companies such as the Walt Disney Studios.

J.J. notes: “My books have to be about themes that I strongly believe in or I can’t find the conviction and will power to write them.” Thus, The Mouse Watch is about more than just cheese and fighting crime. We would love to hear your thoughts on the messages featured in this action-packed middle grade adventure story once you, too, have joined (or at least read about) the Watch.

I read this book aloud to my 6 year old and she really enjoyed it. There is a lot of action and it is a fun read aloud. My daughter was able to follow along and I enjoyed the connection to my childhood mouse hero Gadget. I like the messages in this book - problem solving, determination and loyalty.

Join Bernie in her world of spies. She is a small mouse who loves to solve puzzles. In this fantasy, a wondrous world of futuristic technology and espionage leads Bernie to fit in for the first time in her life and allows her to rescue her colleagues and fight for good. As in any compelling novel, there is friendship, betrayal, excitement, and good vs. evil. It is scary at the beginning of the book, but if you like Spy Kids, you will love The Mouse Watch, by J.J. Gilbert.

Unlikely friends and soon-to-be heroes make this an interesting adventure. Tiny Bernie and her new best friend, Jarvis work together to defeat the powerful rat, Kryptos. A cliff hanger of an ending proves that this will not be the last of their adventures.

This is such a fun and engaging book for young readers! My boys loved it and couldn’t wait until our next read aloud day to see what happened next!

Bernie longs to be a member of the Mouse Watch, a secret organization founded by the legendary Gadget Hackwrench—you 90’s guys and gals will remember him from Rescue Rangers! Bernie is eventually granted membership and faces off with the R.A.T.S. Gang who is trying to take over the world.

Super exciting, super engaging, super fun!

Simply fun...but that’s not what middle grade readers will say. They are likely to say, “Wow” and “When does the next one come out?” Surely this is the start of a new series, complete with high tech wizardry and action packed chase and fight scenes and kid-friendly humor. All of this in a pint-sized hero and her new friend, Jarvis. The plot is straight out of a James Bond movie minus the sex and violence, of course.
Keep them coming, J. J. Gilbert.!

The Mouse Watch by J.J. Gilbert
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Ages: 8-12
Release Date: 26 May 2020

This book follows Bernie who longs to be a member of the Mouse Watch, a secret organization headed up by the legendary inventor Gadget Hackwrench (of Rescue Rangers fame). Bernie is small, but brave. Eventually she is recruited and joins fellow new recruit Jarvis to begin training. But Jarvis is a rat and Bernie does not trust him.

Day 1 of their training though begins rough as members of R.A.T.S . finally begin their biggest steps to take over the world from the humans. Can their bravery and smarts help them save the day?

My thoughts (and some spoilers, so beware):

Overall, this book will have some fabulous appeal for kids, so I do recommend it for general purchase. Plus a Disney show tie-in is never a bad thing.

There is a great sense of adventure throughout and some definite peril and real stakes at play. And the overcoming challenges side will definitely pull in some readers.

There are also some good themes of trust throughout: Bernie's parents who must trust her to go off by herself, Bernie's trust in herself that she is brave enough, Bernie deciding who to trust in the Mouse Watch.

My main issue with this book: topic of animal testing.

The main villain is Doctor Thornpaw. A rodent who is described as "more monster than mouse and more robot than rat". Thornpaw is the result of animal testing and now has motorized metal arms and legs and no reservations about destroying humans. It's hard to not feel somewhat sympathetic to his hatred of people given what he says he has been through. But I feel like the subject of animal testing is really glossed over in the text. It is mentioned as they introduce his character in Chapter 1 and again it is revisited toward the end of the story as he monologues to Bernie. My issue is that I feel like the Mouse Watch would at least mention some kind of sympathy towards him for what he has endured that his turned him into a monster. And wouldn't this be something that they might try to champion to put an end to?

That's my two-cents on that, but this is coming from an animal-loving vegetarian, so others might not remotely see this the same way.

But I do consider this a good purchase option.

Throughout the world there are mice living in the shadows just watching and waiting to help people in trouble, these are the mice of The Mouse Watch. Little Bernie has dreamed forever it seems to be a agent of the watch along side her hero Gadget. You all remember Gadget don't you? You know from Chip and Dales rescue rangers. Yep one and the same, and now Bernie and fellow recruit Jarvis (a rat) have a chance at making their dream come true, if they can learn to work as a team despite their differences.

This book was so good, and bringing in the value of teamwork made it even better. It shows you might be able to feel differently if you know the whole story, and that it takes all different skills in a team to make it work best. This book brings in the wonderful aspect of diversity even if it is portrayed in the rodent world. I loved this book and think anyone else regardless of age will too.

This review will appear on my blog May 26th, 2020.