Mini Mice of Mousehole – Removable Letters
Movable Mice of Mousehole - removable letters and other miniature fun
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Introduction
Michelle Cartlidge is a British author and illustrator of children’s books. She won the inaugural Mother Goose Award in 1979 for one of her early picture book titles, Pippin and Pod, as the “most exciting newcomer to children’s book illustration.” Her books typically contain few words, and she is best known for her dainty-but-cheerful line drawings and warm pastel watercolours.
This page focuses on Michelle’s self-illustrated ‘mouse books’. My favourite of these are her miniature books with removable letters, which are in series with other interactive mouse books featuring lift-the-flap designs, and a couple of larger movable and pop-up titles.
Michelle expanded the mouse series with some press-out and play activity and craft titles, and I’ve also included several of her mouse picture books (not least because there are a number of confusingly similar titles and this list aims to help you to distinguish between them). Michelle’s non-mice picture books are also popular, featuring more anthropomorphised cuddly critters including teddies and bunnies, but the movable mice hold the winning space in my heart.
Removable Letters
These miniature books (around 10cm square) feature tiny envelopes on each page which contain letters and other ephemera like newspapers, children’s toys, invitations and song lyrics which look handwritten. They are absolutely adorable and I recommend them highly.
Originally published by Campbell Books in the UK, editions were also released by Dutton in the US and Lothian in Australia. (Hint: the Campbell and Lothian editions are often cheaper but have the exact same contents!) Books printed during the original 1990s series run are slightly smaller than the later reprints from the 2000s (later editions are around 13cm square and feature banner wording that along the lines of “miniature novelty surprises” inside). These interactive removable letter books are in series with the lift-the-flap books listed below.
Despite their small size, these books are highly desirable amongst those “in the know,” and prices can vary wildly. They are not found all that commonly, but with patience they do come available. A couple of the removable letter books also have very similar titles to Michelle’s mouse activity books, which I’ve noted below to help you avoid any confusion.



Fairy Letters – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1993 (1852921420); Lothian Books, 1993 (0850915465). Also published as Mouse Letters, Dutton Books for Young Readers, 1993 (0525450890); and Mouse Fairies, Campbell Books, 2006 (1405089040).
Filled with tiny letters from fairy mice that they have hidden around the house and in the garden. This is the most well-known and beloved in the series despite it confusingly being published under three different names.
Mouse’s Scrapbook – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1995 (1852922419); Dutton Juvenile, 1995 (0525454233); Lothian Books, 1995 (0850916801).
Little Mouse has collected many mementos for her scrapbook. Removable inserts include a miniature newspaper, birthday card, and postcard. This is one of my favourites in the series, with lots of different types of pull-out ephemera to enjoy.
Mouse Christmas – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1996 (333670450); Dutton Juvenile, 1996 (0525456848) Lothian Books, 1996 (0850917492).
Open envelopes and pockets, and lift flaps to discover miniature, mouse-sized surprises as the Mouse family prepares for Christmas. Movable inserts include letters to Santa, a mouse-angel tree garland and a pop-up gingerbread house.
Mouse Wedding – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1999 (0333722671), 2006 reprint (1405089059); Lothian Books, 1998 (0850919460); Dutton Children’s Books, 1999 (0525461108).
The Mouse family prepare for a wedding. Removable inserts include invitations and words to a wedding song. [Don’t confuse this with The Mouse Wedding Cut-Out Book.]
Mouse Ballet – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1999 (0333751264); Little Simon, 2001 (0689844271); Campbell Books, 2006 (1405089032).
Follow the mice as they put on a show, with pull-out invitation, dress and ballet shoes and a pop-up stage for the finale.
Baby Mouse – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 2000 (0333781104) Campbell Books; 2006 (1405089024).
Welcome Baby Mouse by reading movable cards and a lullaby, and opening lift-the-flap boxes to see the gifts. [Not to be confused with the Baby Mouse cut-out activity book or the Baby Mice board book].
Lift the Flap Books
These lift-the-flap books are in series with the removable letters books.
Mouse House – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1990 (1852920459); Dutton, 1990 (0525446389); Lothian Books, 1990 (0850914191).
Lifting tiny flaps reveals hidden treasures within mouse’s teapot house. [Not to be confused with The Mouse Christmas House activity book.]
Clock Mice – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1991 (1852920696); Lothian Books, 1991 (085091437X). Also published as Mouse Time, Dutton Juvenile, 1991 (0525447660)
Lifting tiny flaps reveals what the mice are doing at different hours of the day.
Theatre Mice – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1992 (1852921196); Lothian Books, 1992 (0850914981). Also published as Mouse Theatre, Dutton Juvenile, 1992 (0525449809)
A miniature lift-the-flap book, each page revealing a scene from a well known fairy tale.
Magic Mouse – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Campbell Books, 1996 (0333659678); Lothian Books, 1996 (0850916585). Also published as Mouse Magic, Dutton Books, 1996 (0525455922).
The mouse magician performs magic tricks when you pull the tabs – revealing flowers, playing cards on a string and a rabbit in a hat.
Movable & Pop-Up Books
These books are larger than the removable letters series, but they feature the same mice, and they include interactive pull-tabs and pop-up dollshouses to play with.
The Mice of Mousehole: A Movable Picture Book – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Walker Books, 1997 (0744549078); Candlewick Press, 1997, as The Mice of Moushole: A Moving Picture Book (0763601179).
The Mouse family explore the seaside village of Mousehole. Lift flaps to reveal what behind doors and windows, and pull tabs to climb ladders, play Punch & Judy, and bring the village to life. [Not to be confused with the non-moving picture book, called The Mousehole Mice]
Activity & Craft Books
There is a confusing amount of overlap between some of these titles and the removable letters ones, but the titles below are story books which come with pieces to cut out and make into a model to match the tale.
Picture Books
These mouse picture books are aimed at the pre-school crowd. Pippin and Pod is probably the best known (since it won the Mother Goose award), while several new picture books featuring the Mousehole Mice that were published between 2012-2017 are the most recent of her works.
Pippin and Pod – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: Pantheon Books, 1978 (0394838459), Library ed (0394938453); Heinemann, 1978 (0434931403); Egmont Paperback, 1989 (0416136826).
Picture book, no moving parts. Two mischievous mice run off from their mother during a trip to market, and have a wonderful time playing until they realize they are lost.
A Mouse’s Diary – Michelle Cartlidge
Publication details: William Heinemann, 1981 (043493142X); Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1981 (0688419879 / 0688519873); Collins, 1983 (0006620833); Mammoth, 1992 (0749711744); Methuen Young Books, 1993 (0434963860); Dutton Books, 1994 (0525451951); Collins Picture Lions, 2016 (0006620833).
A young mouse writes about her ballet class, a shopping trip, the end-of-term party, and other events in her life. No moving parts.




























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