• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

Unlike the other Weedle mice, The Stowaways love to go on adventures - even when it means getting close to humans! But when Rory and his Gran plan to rescue Grampa Stowaway, whom everyone else thinks is dead, the adventure may be far more dangerous than he has bargained for.

The Stowaways aren't like the other Weedle mice. They are inventive and curious, they go on adventures, and they are much too clever for their own good. In fact, everyone knows that Grampa Stowaway was killed in a trap on one of his adventures. So, who would want to associate with a family like that?

There's something else about the Stowaways. They keep secrets. Rory has made friends with a bird, their natural enemy; and his twin brother Morgan dreams of sailing away. But Gran has the biggest secret of all - and Rory has discovered what it is.

If Rory and Gran act on their suspicions, will they be heading for disaster? Or will it be the greatest Stowaway adventure of all?

As a child, Meghan Marentette - nicknamed "Meghan Mouse" - loved collecting odds and ends to build miniature worlds for her toys. Later, as a costume designer for film and television, she was assigned to make tiny costumes for stop-motion animation puppets. It was during this job that Meghan conceived of the miniature world of her first novel, The Stowaways, which is a finalist for the Ann Connor Brimer Award and the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award. Meghan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Meghan Marentette's profile page

Dean Griffiths is a popular picture book artist with more than 25 titles to his name. His many awards include the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Book Prize for Maggie Can't Wait and the Chocolate Lily Award for Ballerinas Don't Wear Glasses. Dean's 2012 title Lumpito and the Painter from Spain has been nominated for the SYRCA Shining Willow Award and was a Bank Street Best Book. His most recent book is When Emily Carr Met Woo. Dean lives in Duncan, British Columbia, with his daughter.

Dean Griffiths' profile page

• Short-listed, CLA Book of the Year for Children Award
• Short-listed, Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Commended, Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection
• Short-listed, Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature
• Commended, OLA Best Bets honourable mention
• Commended, Resource Links “The Year’s Best” selection

Praise for The Stowaways

2014 Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy shortlist

2014 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award shortlist

2014 Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature shortlist

2013 OLA Best Bets honourable mention

2014 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection

2013 Resource Links “The Year’s Best” selection

"Themes of courage, family, friendship, and accepting differences permeate the story. Intermittent and well-placed black-and-white illustrations lend a vintage feel to the overall design of the book. A fine debut that deserves a place alongside Cynthia Voight's Young Fredle (Knopf) and Richard Peck's Secrets at Sea (Dial, both 2011)."—School Library Journal

"In her first novel, Marentette shows promise as a storyteller, creating distinctive characters, building tension, and grounding the fantasy with realistic settings and details...this appealing book will quickly find its audience, fans of mouse adventure tales from George Selden's The Cricket in Times Square (1960) to Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971) to Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux (2003)."—Booklist

"In the tradition of memorable mouse heroes, the Stowaways deliver page-turning, cliffhanging, heartwarming, first-rate adventure."—Kirkus Reviews

"Not since Stuart Little has the heart of a valiant mouse beat quite so fiercely as that of Rory Stowaway in Meghan Marentette's first novel, The Stowaways. It meets and exceeds all the expectations of a good mouse story, with a well-constructed and self-sufficient mouse world, a teeny-tiny hero set against impossible odds, and an adventure brimming with mystery that scampers from chapter to chapter."—The National Reading Campaign

"Marentette has created a lovely world that combines animals and fantasy with humans and reality in an original and lively story. Her writing style is elegant yet conversational."—Resource Links

"...charmingly illustrated by Dean Griffiths...exciting, interesting, and really good fun. I hesitate to compare it to The Wind in the Willows, but it is in the same league; so read and enjoy...Highly Recommended"—CM Magazine

"Like Arrietty of The Borrowers or Stuart Little, Rory Stowaway is a pocket-sized hero set against rather large odds...The Stowaways is an engaging story which would also be a wonderful read-aloud book for younger children at home or in the classroom. The book's endearing characters, exciting plot and the central themes of family and growing up would be fertile ground for classroom discussion."—Canadian Children's Book News

"Debut author Meghan Marentette has crafted a charming adventure tale with a plucky protagonist."—Atlantic Books Today