Russell Hoban's children's books

Something I saw the other day put me in mind of a book I used to read to my kids: Harvey's Hideout, by Russell Hoban. Harvey and his sister Mildred are muskrats and the story starts with the two of them not getting on too well, in typical brother and sister fashion. But they're both a bit stuck for company at the moment, for a string of reasons which include that they've been warned by their parents...

not to play with the raccoon children because they knock... over rubbish bins... [and] not to get mixed up with the weasels.

There is one argument between Harvey and Mildred in which she calls him 'a selfish, inconsiderate, stupid, useless little brother', and he reciprocates by saying that she is 'a loudmouth, bossy, mean and rotten big sister.' Their father later admonishes them:

"Mildred... it is true that Harvey is selfish and inconsiderate, but he is not stupid and useless, and you are not allowed to call him that."
"What about what he called me?" said Mildred.
"Mildred is loudmouthed and bossy," said Father to Harvey, "but she is not mean and rotten..."

I just love the care of that. Anyway, everything turns out well. I recommend the book to anyone with children of a suitable age (maybe 5 up).

Of the three other terrific children's books by Russell Hoban that I know - Bedtime for Frances, How Tom Beat Captain Najork and his Hired Sportsmen, and The Stone Doll of Sister Brute - I especially used to enjoy the last. Sister Brute, a member of the Brute family, calls her doll - a stone on which she has drawn a face - Alice Brute Stone. There's also an 'ugly kicking dog' with hob-nailed boots, who befriends Sister Brute in his own fashion. Here too there is an encouraging ending, hinted at on the first page. The Brute family change their name to Nice.

Get hold of the books and find some children to read them to.