Pet of the Met

Pet of the Met tells the story of Maestro, a mouse who lives inside the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. He makes his home in an old opera boot and spends his nights exploring the grand theater. During the day while performers rehearse, Maestro listens and learns the music from his hidden vantage points. At night, he emerges to conduct imaginary orchestras and recreate the operas he has heard. One night, Maestro's musical activities lead to an unexpected encounter that changes his relationship with the Met Opera House. The story reaches its climax during a live performance, where Maestro faces both danger and opportunity. The book celebrates the transformative power of music while exploring themes of finding one's place in the world, no matter how unlikely that place might seem. Through its opera house setting, it introduces young readers to the world of classical music and performance.

Readers describe Pet of the Met as a nostalgic children's book that captures the magic of New York's Metropolitan Opera House through the adventures of a mouse. Parents and grandparents who remember the original 1953 publication share it with younger generations. What readers liked: - Detailed illustrations of the Met's architecture and behind-the-scenes areas - Educational introduction to opera and classical music - Mouse protagonist appeals to children - Celebrates arts and culture in an accessible way What readers disliked: - Out-of-print status makes copies expensive and hard to find - Some felt the story moves slowly - Text density challenging for very young readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.25/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (13 ratings) Notable reader comment: "This book inspired my lifelong love of opera. The illustrations made me feel like I was really exploring the grand old Met." - Goodreads reviewer

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🎨 Author Don Freeman worked as a jazz musician in New York City, playing the trumpet to support himself while pursuing his art career 🏛️ The Metropolitan Opera House featured in the book was demolished in 1967 and replaced by a new building at Lincoln Center 🐭 Maestro Mouse's home in the opera house was inspired by Freeman's own experience of once living in a small basement apartment in Manhattan 🎭 The book introduces young readers to famous operas like "Carmen" and "Aida" through the adventures of its musical mouse protagonist 📚 Freeman created over 20 children's books during his career, with "Corduroy" being his most famous work, published seven years after "Pet of the Met"