Interview with John Hutton, Creator of Sister Maus

By: Samantha Hogsett

Photo Credit: Winston-Salem Journal

Sister Maus is a beloved member of the Salem community often found joining Salem sibs at school events and taking naps in her mouse hole in the Single Sister’s House. Though we can read about Sister Maus’ many adventures in her book series, the tale of how she came to be is often forgotten.  

Salem’s own, Dr. John Hutton, began the creation of Sister Maus in the early 2000s when an original mouse hole was discovered in the Single Sister’s house during renovations. Rather than removing it, Salem College looked to Hutton to preserve the mouse’s legacy. Hutton, at the time, was working on his first children’s book for the White House Historical Association and was well-equipped to take on the task.

Photo Credit: Sister Maus Instagram

Hutton found inspiration for Sister Maus’ stories by reading Less Time for Meddling by Frances Griffin. The book tells tales of life at early Salem Academy and College expanding to the town of Old Salem and its Moravian settlers. There Hutton discovered the Single Sisters learned to sew embroidery and sewed gloves to make money. Drawing from Salem’s history, Sister Maus herself became an avid seamstress.

Hutton’s design process started by looking at other artists who anthropomorphized animals such as Beatrix Potter and Randolph Caldecott. Learning from the greats, Hutton made preliminary sketches experimenting with many designs before creating the Sister Maus we know and love today. In one design, Sister Maus’ bonnet even covered her ears. The illustrations are mostly line drawings and watercolors with pen and ink to clarify the pictures.  

Today, Sister Maus’ legacy lives on and the campus’ love for her is prevalent. Thank you to John Hutton for not only creating her but for keeping her spirit alive. Follow @salemsistermaus on Instagram for more updates, and Sister Maus hopes you have a very merry winter break!

Photo Credit: Sister Maus Instagram