The book tells the story of a wood mouse named Mrs. Thomasina Tittlemouse and her efforts to keep her house in order, despite the appearance of uninvited visitors.

The character of Mrs. Tittlemouse first appeared in Potter's children's book The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies, which was first published in July 1909.

Upon returning to her parlour, she finds the neighbour from the drain below, Mr. Jackson the toad, sitting in her rocking chair, wet and dripping water onto the floor.

He stays over dinner, but declines to eat any of the food Mrs. Tittlemouse offers him; she mops up his footprints as he rummages for honey.

An animated adaptation of the story, shown interspersed with The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, was featured on the BBC television anthology series The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends in 1996.