Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures living under the rosebush, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. But, not only do they help her, they tell her of their escape from a laboratory where experimentation had made them literate, and of the brave death of her husband. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.