Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a 1971 children's book by Robert C. O'Brien

Robert C. O'Brien

Robert Leslie Conly was an American author and journalist for National Geographic Magazine.-Early life:...

. Illustrated by Zena Bernstein, it won the 1972 Newbery Medal

Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...

. A film adaptation, The Secret of NIMH

The Secret of NIMH

The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...

, was released in 1982.

The novel relates the plight of a widowed field mouse

Meadow Vole

The Meadow Vole , sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole , is found in Florida, and is classified as...

, Mrs. Frisby, who seeks the aid of a group of former laboratory rat

Laboratory rat

A laboratory rat is a rat of the species Rattus norvegicus which is bred and kept for scientific research. Laboratory rats have served as an important animal model for research in psychology, medicine, and other fields.- Origins :...

s in rescuing her home from destruction by a farmer's plow, and of the history of the rats' escape from the laboratory and development of a literate and technological society.

The work was inspired by the research of Dr.