Book review: The Mighty Muskrats Mystery series
Reviewed by Carrie MacKenzie
The first two books in The Mighty Muskrats Mystery series, and The Case of the Missing Auntie, by Michael Hutchinson are about four young Indigenous cousins nicknamed “The Mighty Muskrats.” The tales of their adventures together provide entertaining and engaging books for readers 9-12 years old.
The tone of these books is charming, light and at times, humorous, while still dealing with some serious issues. Racism, the loss of parents at a young age, residential schools, and the Sixties Scoop, life on a First Nation and how it differs from life off-reserve are some of the issues addressed. As a result, the reader is not overwhelmed and will continue to read this series and learn more about these issues.
Adding to the charm of these stories is the relationships among the various characters. There is the connection between “The Mighty Muskrats” themselves; their community gave them this nickname because of the way they laugh, argue and investigate together. Then, there is the connection the children have with their extended family, the relationships that family members have with each other and their community. It is evident that there is a deep bond of love and respect within the family and community. This hopefully resonates with the reader and encourages them to continue reading. Moreover, this might serve to dispel long held negative stereotypes about life within Indigenous families and on reserves.
As mentioned, these books deal with some serious matters in a gentle, non-confrontational way. This introduces the reader to these topics and historic events in such a way that is not overwhelming. These are issues and events the reader may not be aware of or understand because they have never experienced or learned about them. As a result, the reader might be prompted to look more closely into Canada’s history and ask questions about it, hopefully leading to greater understanding and respect.
Furthermore, these topics give the books immense value as educational tools. Many people are unaware of the lingering and detrimental impact the trauma of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop had. They have little understanding of the influence of this on Indigenous peoples, down through the generations, nor do they have an accurate idea of life on a reserve. The fact that the cousins are close in age to the target audience, and behave and talk in similar ways makes these works relatable and engaging. This pulls the reader in, keeps them interested and reading. At the same time, cultural differences are made apparent in subtle yet obvious ways. This gives the reader an introduction to Indigenous culture and life on a reservation. In The Case of the Missing Auntie, this is contrasted with life in a large city and the overt racism The Mighty Muskrats experience.
The language used by the author further serves to engage the reader. Everyday words and expressions are used and at the same time, expressions more common on reservations are used. This increases the audience’s knowledge and understanding of the situations, and experiences written about and used in these books.
These two books are an entertaining and educational read and would be an excellent addition to any school library or preteen’s bookshelf. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a series with many more stories to come.
Hutchinson, Michael, “A Mighty Muskrats Mystery: The Case of Windy Lake. Second Story Press, Toronto, Ontario. ISBN 978-1-77260-085-8.
Hutchinson, Michael, “A Mighty Muskrats Mystery: The Case of the Missing Auntie. Second Story Press, Toronto, Ontario. ISBN 978-1-77260-117-6.