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The Star Mouse

Fredric Brown

First published February 1942
Type Short Fiction
Length Novelette
Series Mitkey #1

Synopsis

A German professor, living in the USA, has invented a rocket carrying a mouse, in the hope of reaching the moon. But the spacecraft is attracted by an invisible asteroid peopled with tiny beings who increase the animal's intelligence and send him back on Earth, dressed as Mickey Mouse...

Notes

Thge variant title 'Mitkey Astromouse' / 'Maicki Astromaus' is a slightly language-juvenilized adaptation which nevertheless tells the same story; it has a few omissions on the professor and the background.

Awards

YearAwardCategoryStatus
2018 Retro Hugo Award Best Novelette Nominee/Finalist

Publications (24)

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
February 1942 Planet Stories, Spring 1942 Love Romances Publishing MAGAZINE 28
1946 Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 933
August 1946 Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 933
1953 Space on My Hands Corgi Collection 165
1957 Famous Science-Fiction Stories: Adventures in Time and Space Modern Library Anthology 933
1957 Famous Science-Fiction Stories: Adventures in Time and Space Random House Anthology 933
1968 Daymares Lancer Books Collection 200
August 1975 Adventures in Time and Space Ballantine Books Anthology 933
March 1978 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 933
December 1978 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 933
December 1979 Adventures in Time and Space Del Rey / Ballantine Anthology 933
October 1980 The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 4, 1942 DAW Books Anthology 11
October 1980 The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 4, 1942 DAW Books / New American Library of Canada Anthology 11
1983 Isaac Asimov Presents The Golden Years of Science Fiction: 2nd Series Bonanza Books / Crown Publishers Anthology 353
October 1987 And the Gods Laughed Phantasia Press Collection 1
October 1987 And the Gods Laughed Phantasia Press Collection 1
August 1990 Adventures in Time and Space Random House / SFBC Anthology 940
June 1993 Space on My Hands Lightyear Press Collection
November 2001 Adventures in Time and Space Science Fiction Book Club Anthology
June 2012 Already Among Us: An Anthropomorphic Anthology Legion Publishing Anthology 4
November 2013 The Fredric Brown Megapack: 33 Classic Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy Wildside Press Collection
July 2014 The Fredric Brown Megapack: 33 Classic Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy Wildside Press Collection
May 2020 The Star Mouse Project Gutenberg Chapbook
August 2020 The Star Mouse Positronic Publishing Chapbook