Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo, and FLO!

April 1, 2015
A familiar rhyme is the starting point for this tale of four bossy brothers and their tag-along little sister. The pursuit begins immediately as the eponymous mice race across a swath of green grass on the dedication page. The boys begin the rhyme with the traditional tiger. Flo, a smaller, all-white mouse wearing a pink scarf, makes her first appearance here, standing nonchalantly on the tiger's paw. Her desire to participate is quashed by her brothers in a parallel text that's made up entirely of dialogue. She continues to try to join the fun as the boys chase down additional animals, including a female hippo and turtle, a somewhat scary boa constrictor (with no toes), and a very toothy alligator. Molk's illustrations, created in pen and ink and watercolor then digitally combined, keep the focus on the mice with only parts of most of the larger animals shown. Bright colors and energetic lines contrast pleasingly with watercolor washes that provide texture and interest. Simple, slightly cartoony features keep the mood light despite the preponderance of predators-and the slight frisson of danger in a couple of instances. Using a different, handwritten-style type for the dialogue keeps things clear, though read-alouds could still be a bit tricky. Brisk and bouncy, this clever adaptation combines animals, action, humor, and typical sibling dynamics to create a lively and engaging escapade. (Picture book. 3-6)

April 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Molk puts her own twist on this traditional children's counting rhyme. As four mice attempt to catch a tiger (success 'till he hollers), hippo (success 'till he sneezes), snake (no toes), turtle (disappearing toe), dodo (not to be found), and gator (where's Flo?), little sister Flo keeps trying to get in on the action. The brothers always (kindly but firmly) say no. In the end it is tenacious, optimistic, popcorn-tossing Flo who leads all of the animals parade-style with no toe catching necessary. Molk's text makes effective use of different fonts, asides, and word balloons. Her pen and ink with watercolor illustrations are humorous and detail filled but not fussy. The picture of the brother painting the hippo's toenails before she sneezes (luckily Flo has an umbrella) is quite amusing. VERDICT The perfect combination of text and illustration creates a fun choice for storytime or one-on-one reading.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

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