Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a 1971 novel featuring talking mice and other anthropomorphic animals. The main character Mrs. Frisby is a widowed field mouse. When her son catches pneumonia, she seeks help from rats living in a nearby rosebush. These rats have escaped from a laboratory at NIMH (the National Institute of Mental Health). They’re literate and have developed technology such as tiny elevators for their hidden community. 

Themes of Mrs. Frisby are family, societal belonging, and perseverance.