Submitted by Ms. Jill!
Help! A Story About Friendship by Holly Keller. Mouse and Snake have been friends for years, but one day gossip gets in the way. Fox tells Skunk, and Skunk tells Mouse: snakes are very dangerous, especially to mice! Mouse is scared and hides from his friend, even though Hedgehog is sure that Snake would never hurt either of them. But then Mouse, distracted by his fears, has an accident and gets hurt! Squirrel, Hedgehog, and Rabbit try to help but can’t. It’s up to Snake, even though his feelings are hurt, to show real friendship in Mouse’s time of need. This sweet story is illustrated by the author in a unique watercolor style called “collographs,” which resemble leaf rubbings and collage. The expressive animals and simple story convey a just-right message about friendship, gossip, and trust, that every child can understand. See this book listed in our catalog
Mice
Look! Look! Look!
Submitted by special guest blogger Ms. Julie, the county library’s summer intern!
Little Mouse Gets Ready
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith (of Bone and RASL fame) is a great introduction to the comic book format for your child. Little Mouse has just been informed he’s going to the barn and needs to “get ready,” so he decides to put his clothes on. We’re taken through the step-by-step process of putting on one’s clothes, including the universal struggle with buttons, punctuated by speculation of the fun things to be done in the barn. Finally, Little Mouse is fully dressed and ready to go, when Mama Mouse reminds him that mice don’t wear clothes. What a twist! The art is sweet, filled with friendly autumn pastels, and the whole book is infused with humour and charm. It’s a truly memorable story about a routine that your child can relate to. See this book listed in our catalog
Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale
Submitted by Allana from Leonardtown!
Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale by Daniel Kirk is a delightful fantasy for listeners and readers alike! When Tom realizes that he has no partner to help with his “Writers and Illustrators Club” project, Mrs. Forrester tells him she will help out. Tom doesn’t really become inspired to either write or illustrate for his project, until he finds a tiny notebook left behind by a secret writer named Sam. When he shows this to Mrs. Forrester, she isn’t surprised. Someone named Sam has been leaving little story books around the library for children to read. Is it a coincidence that all the stories are about mice? Tom wants to find out who Sam really is, and possibly meet him, and as the tale unfolds we discover that one young boy learns a valuable lesson about team work and friendship, and another shy fellow realizes that he also can have a friend, and that maybe he doesn’t have to be so anonymous. See this book listed in our catalog
Mousie Love
Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
Mousie Love by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Josee Masse, relates the epic romance of Tully and Frill, two house mice. For Tully, it’s love at first sight when he first sets eyes on Frill. In fact, the first words he says to her are “Will you marry me?” Frill doesn’t say no. She doesn’t say yes. She actually doesn’t have time to say anything before Tully interjects “Of course! You must be wondering where we’ll live.” and dashes off to find them a house. Tully proposes multiple times, but before Frill can answer he remembers something else he needs to provide: breakfast (in the form of a fresh muffin), something shiney (a star will suffice nicely) all while escaping the attention of the house cat, of course. Finally Frill gives Tully an answer. What do you think it will be? You’ll have to check out Mousie Love to find out! See this book listed in our catalog
But Who Will Bell the Cats?
Submitted by Tess from Lexington Park!
But Who Will Bell the Cats by Cynthia Von Buhler is a play on one of Aesop’s fables: long ago, all the mice convened to discuss the problem with cats’ ability to stalk them so quietly. It was suggested that all the cats wear bells, but who would bell the cats? In this story, a mouse and a bat try to think of ways to get bells on a princess’s 8 spoiled cats. They try assault, disguise, even a fashion show modelling the bells, to get the cats to wear them, to no avail. Perhaps the princess herself will have intervene… This book also features creative typeface, and stunning three dimensional illustrations. Check it out today! See this book listed in our catalog