| ________________
CM . . .
. Volume VIII Number 18 . . . . May 10, 2002
excerpt:
Busy
Little Mouse Woof! The bouncy little dog
Oink!
So begins
the busy day of the title's mouse in a delightful re-collaboration of
the mother-daughter team responsible for Sleepy Little Mouse. Award-winning
author (and illustrator) of many, many picture books, Eugenie Fernandes
has a knack for hitting the right tone to appeal to kids and adults. The
mouse spends the day splashing, running, jumping and cavorting with the
other farm animals until he returns home as "weary little mouse" and is
tucked into bed by his parents.
The simple repetitive text is perfect
for reading (and re-reading) aloud to preschoolers who will enjoy making
the animal sounds of these familiar animals. The conclusion is particularly
sweet as the mouse is advised to
Hurry home Blow a kiss. A perfect tender ending note for anyone
tucking in their own little weary ones or just having a quiet reading
time.
Kim Fernandes, Eugenie's daughter, has
also won awards and critical acclaim for her vibrant and charming illustrations.
Made from Fimo (a pliable modeling material much like Plasticine), Kim
creates wonderful three-dimensional illustrations. Rich with texture,
her pictures are brimming with details from drops of water to spider's
webs to stars in the sky. Little mouse's bedroom has a homemade drawing
taped to the wall as well as the warm light of a tiny mouse-size lamp.
It's these tiny details that make the illustrations so fresh.
The animals are, like the text, simple
and engaging for young people, with some of the sweetest expressions
to be found in kids' books. The last image of the mouse, sound asleep
after his day of adventure, with his little animals all around him is
adorable.
A welcome addition to any home or school
library.
Highly recommended. Liz
Greenaway has worked in bookselling and publishing and is currently
at home with her small children.
To comment on this
title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal
use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other
reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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