Your Hand in My Hand

July 20, 2015
Two speckled mice—one big, one little—wander together through a wooded landscape, beginning their walk under light snowfall and meandering throughout a cycle of seasons. A sweet, simple poem with a tone and cadence reminiscent of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! emphasizes the strength and comfort that their relationship provides: “So, why waste a moment?/ There’s no time to spare!/ With your hand in my hand,/ what wonders we’ll share.” Teckentrup’s grainy landscapes introduce blooming flowers, rain showers, a rainbow, and a bevy of curious animals. As holly berries grow and snow falls again, the mice snuggle close, finally arriving in a cozy tree burrow. Readers anxious about changing circumstances should find solace in the message about unfaltering love and devotion, regardless of weather or season. Ages 3–5.

September 1, 2015
A caregiver adult mouse and its child mouse enjoy love and support along the path of life. Passing through all the seasons, readers follow the tale of two mice and how each has one hand in the other's as they walk along. Adult mouse shows child mouse the wonders of the world and stresses the importance of living life to the fullest when there's "no time to spare." The vivid, lyrical description of each season they encounter-"the wind whistles past"; "birds will sing sweetly / and flowers will grow"; "we'll paddle and splash / in the warm sunny rays"; "when winter takes hold"-showcases how time is the bond of their loving, growing relationship. The story can be read as a tale of parental love, grandparental affection, sibling care, or of any other caregiver love. Sperring effectively uses poetry to gives readers a story of discovering what life's about, what it has to offer, and how real love will hold through this journey. Teckentrup's sweet, screen-printed illustrations and the matte palette capture the mice's emotions and connection. Great either for a bedtime story or to celebrate a newborn; no one can refute the book's final words: "with your hand in my hand, / we'll never feel lost." (Picture book. 3-5)

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October 1, 2015

PreS-Adventure is in the air for this parent-child mouse pair experiencing the great outdoors together. The colorful collage illustrations show them paw-in-paw, marveling at rainbows and forest flora and cuddling close, "untouched by the frost." The thick paper, earthy palette, and full-bleed layout attempt to elevate the perfectly lovely but utterly ordinary story line. The rhyming text makes this an easy read-aloud but one that is likely to appeal more to an adult's emotions than a child's sensibilities. VERDICT The comforting refrain about holding hands gives this modest child appeal, but on a crowded shelf of similar stories, this book is a serviceable addition.-Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Preschool-K First published in England, this inviting book features a large mouse and a small one exploring the natural world. While their relationship (relatives? friends?) is left open to interpretation, the first-person text emphasizes what they will discover together. As the two mice move through the book, the scenes gradually shift, cycling through the seasons from one winter to the next. A four-line stanza of rhythmic, rhyming verse appears on each double-page spread, with lines such as We'll splash through the puddles / when rain comes down fast / and chase after leaves as / the wind whistles past. The text maintains a consistent tone and message throughout the book, while the colors in the illustrations shift a bit from season to season. Landscapes are sketched in rather than detailed in the broad, double-page scenes, which feature simply defined trees, leaves, and flowers as well as other animals. With pictures that show up beautifully from a distance, this companionable picture book is meant to be shared.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)