Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak
Published by Walker Books US on September 20, 2022
ISBN: 1536228842
Pages: 304
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

From the author of I, Cosmos and Leonard, My Life as a Cat this is a humor-filled, heartwarming story of a genius lab mouse, secretly freed from the lab. This lively adventure story is narrated in “think” letters from Clementine (the mouse) to her chimpanzee friend at the lab, Rosie. The story is chockablock with interesting characters, my favorite being 86-year old Ginger, “I’ve seen weirder. I lived in Florida in the nineties.” At first, readers may find the narration technique difficult to follow but soon they will get caught up in the adventure story and the characters. The author has a definite agenda against lab testing on animals but it is presented in more of a slapstick than heavy-handed sort of way. Middle-grade animal lovers and chess fanatics will enjoy this title.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library