The Mouse and the Cuckoo

The Mouse and the Cuckoo tells the story of one gallant little mouse who insists on reaching out to, and making a friend of, a wooden cuckoo bird. He is rejected and frustrated but never loses his faith, as the bird only responds by chiming the hour with a quick "Coo koo, Coo koo." "When I first began to write The Mouse and the Cuckoo, my goal was to create a story that would serve as a bridge of understanding between autistic children and their parents. As the book developed, I realized that my simple story of a mouse trying to speak with an animated cuckoo clock bird carried a greater message. So many children are trapped within their physical shell. These are kids with Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and dozens of other adversities. And, like my little cuckoo bird, each has a song in their heart." Keith Lawrence Roman