Since this is the first time I published a Chinese Graded reader, let me tell you more about how this story came about…
The good old Frankfurt U-Bahn
My first encounter with Shadow Mouse happened in the Frankfurt metro. I was descending the long escalator into the drafty shaft, deeper and deeper into the stuffy tunnel. On the platform, I found myself among Frankfurt bankers and consultants. Just as I was about to reach into my backpack to pull out a book to stave off the boredom, my eye caught a quick movement on the gray gravel beneath the tracks. A tiny mouse was scurrying between the stones. Almost invisible and extremely cautious, ready to disappear back into the shadows at the slightest hint of danger.
Freelancing
At the time, I was working as a freelance German teacher and enjoyed creating my own teaching materials – at least when time allowed. I would often fill a sheet of A4 paper with a short story, add a few exercises and a vocabulary list. Then I’d place it under the copier and voilà, another lesson prepared. That’s how the mouse earned the name U-Bahn-Mäuschen and began to live on as the main character in a few short adventures, accompanied by fellow tunnel dwellers like rats and city pigeons. He could be noble, but also stand his ground when needed – and as you can imagine, life in the damp tunnels beneath the banking capital wasn’t always a bed of roses.
Berlin & new beginnings
Although the mouse had potential – for example, for an illustrated children’s book – things remained quiet for a long time afterward. Once I had moved to Berlin, I didn’t see any more mice in the much larger metro system of the German capital, no matter how hard I tried. Moreover, I was no longer a freelance teacher, with an excuse to write short stories.
It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I picked up the thread again. Due to a turn of events, I suddenly had enough breathing room to start a larger project. That’s how I came to pull the little metro mouse out of the proverbial drawer once more.
Shift towards China
However, I was faced with a practical problem. Aside from the fact that I had never published a book before and had no idea what it actually involved, my main character – the mouse – was tied to the outdated metro system of Frankfurt. While that city certainly provided enough material for further stories, it held little appeal for learners of Chinese.
That’s why I moved the little rodent to the Chinese capital and gave him a mission. And although I’ve seen quite a bit of China, it was clear to me that I should focus on the part of China I’m most familiar with. That made it logical for the mouse to try to reach the city of Kaifeng.
These central reflections became key to the plot, which also includes a small but heroic role for the bats of Wuhan – a nod to recent history, or perhaps a wink to the eagles in Lord of the Rings.
Chinese elements
It also went without saying that the story should be filled with Chinese elements. The xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings, are a characteristic example. The persistent toothbrush seller on the train and the girl with the pipa follow the same line and embody something of the Chinese soul. The Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng towers over the events. I still vividly remember the claustrophobic climb up the narrow spiral staircase with its uneven steps and low ceilings.
A small hero
It may all remain a bit childish: a mouse having adventures. The development of the plot is rather jumpy. The characters lack the depth that Dostoevsky gave his protagonists. All true. And it’s no excuse that it’s merely a graded reader. At least, in my opinion. And still, don’t underestimate the small heroes and their perspective on the world. Without a voice and in the shadows.
In the end, I have nothing more to say but that I hope this story finds its audience – young or old. Perhaps then, there will be a extended edition in the future, or even a sequel.
You can check out the book right here.
