By: Emily Harrow

Some children’s books entertain. Others travel.

Donna Dalton’s Two Mice in New York: A Holiday Adventure does both, quietly introducing young readers to culture, cooperation, and curiosity through two small characters with big questions.

At its heart, the story follows Azura and Afrodille, French mice who arrive in New York during the busiest season of the year. What unfolds is not just a holiday tale, but a carefully layered journey shaped by decades of teaching, travel, and observation.

A Story That Took Its Time

Donna’s path to authorship was not fast, and that matters.

The idea for her Two Mice series began more than two decades ago during a family trip to Paris. Sitting near the Eiffel Tower, she noticed mice moving confidently through the greenery, part of the landscape rather than hidden from it.

The image stayed with her. Even as life filled up with a demanding career in education and family responsibilities, that small moment never left.

Only after retiring from forty years in the classroom did Donna finally give the idea space to grow.

Teaching Without a Classroom

Retirement created an unexpected question. How do you continue teaching when the classroom is gone?

For Donna, the answer was storytelling.

Writing children’s books allowed her to stay connected to students in a new way. The lessons she once delivered through conversation and instruction now appear through character choices, dialogue, and problem-solving moments.

The goal was never to lecture. It was to invite.

Why New York Became the Setting

New York City offered something unique. Density.

Cultures, traditions, landmarks, and celebrations all collide there. For a children’s story, it created endless opportunities for discovery.

In Two Mice in New York, Donna highlights Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve within a single narrative. The city becomes a shared space where many traditions coexist naturally.

Young readers see that celebration does not belong to one group. It belongs to everyone.

Making the City Feel Alive

The landmarks in the book were chosen intentionally. Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center are not included simply because they are famous.

They are places Donna has experienced herself.

One of the most influential moments came when her husband surprised her with a trip to New York to witness the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting in person. After years of watching it on television, standing there transformed it from an event to an emotion.

That emotional authenticity carries into the story. The city is not a backdrop. It moves the plot forward.

Characters That Model Real Skills

Azura and Afrodille are curious, but they are not perfect. They make mistakes. They ask questions. They rely on others.

Frankie the subway rat and his rat pack are introduced as unexpected allies. Together, the characters demonstrate collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.

The story does not announce these skills. It shows them in action.

For children, this approach feels natural. They see teamwork working, not being explained.

Writing for Children Who Travel and Those Who Do Not

Donna understands that not every child reading the book has been to New York.

That is part of the design.

For children who have visited, the story creates recognition and excitement. For those who have not, it opens a window.

Donna has heard from families whose children felt inspired to visit New York after reading the book. Others shared that their children felt like they had already been there.

That sense of access matters.

Respecting Young Readers

One of the defining choices Donna made was to trust her audience.

The book does not simplify culture or reduce holidays to decoration. It presents them as meaningful, coexisting traditions.

Children are allowed to notice differences without being told how to judge them. They are invited to be curious, not corrected.

That respect reflects Donna’s years as an educator who believed students rise to the level of expectation set for them.

A Series With a Larger Vision

Two Mice in New York is one stop in a growing journey.

Azura and Afrodille have traveled to London, Africa, Ireland, Italy, and the Bahamas. Each destination brings new cultural experiences and learning moments.

Donna supports the books with activities on her website, offering teachers and families tools that extend the story beyond the page.

The goal is not just reading. It is engagement.

Continuing the Joy of Teaching

For Donna, becoming a children’s author did not replace teaching. It reshaped it.

The same passion that guided her classroom now lives in story form. Curiosity, empathy, and connection remain at the center.

Two Mice in New York: A Holiday Adventure reflects a long view of learning. One that values patience, exploration, and shared experience.

Sometimes the most meaningful stories are the ones that wait until the right moment to be told.

Discover more about Donna Dalton, her journey as an author, and the Two Mice series at 2-mice.com.