Sam Denlinger – illustratör

The mice of New York City dread the day of the New York City Marathon more than any other—the crowds, the large shoes, the noise. All of them, that is, except for Preston. He and his family live underneath the starting line on the Verrazano Bridge and every year Preston has dreamed of joining all the other runners in the marathon. This year, Preston is determined to make his dream come true, even though his family tells him that mice are not fit to run marathons. He trains hard leading up to the big day and when the race starts, he successfully dodges sneakers and crosses the finish line, showing his family that mice can do much more than just scurry.In the past few years, there has been a surge in marathon and half-marathon participation in the United States, and just last year, the New York City Marathon had over 45,000 finishers. Marathon Mouse is sure to be a welcome addition in a market that lacks picture books about running. There is a unique culture in the racing world that both parents who participate and kids who cheer on the sidelines know and love. And the story of Preston, who sets a goal and then follows through to achieve it, is a wonderful teaching tool for children, whether or not they are interested in running races.