Mouse and Mole: A Perfect Halloween

September 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-Mouse and Mole are together again, setting an example for firm friendship. Together they prepare for a pumpkin-carving contest, decorate their corner of the forest, and gather the courage to trick-or-treat. Typical for this genre, Yee's characters represent opposites to support inferences about the complementary nature of friendship. But the author goes well beyond this with Mouse and Mole; his stories consistently celebrate the creative spirit and promote purposeful problem solving as well. The brilliance in A Perfect Halloween is Yee's use of rhetorical devices in the narrative. Mouse's story-within-a-story reveals the characters' ambivalence toward a spooky holiday and introduces readers to the idea that literature can reveal unarticulated truths. Idioms throughout the narrative encourage youngsters to think metaphorically. The author's use of onomatopoeia is inventive; TAP-TAP-TAP can be both a knock at the door or a thump to test the ripeness of a pumpkin. Mole's dream of being chased by a skeleton, "Clickety-clack-clack...YIKES!" foreshadows his bumping into the skeleton later: "Clickety-clack...SMACK...YIKES!" And Mole's concern that other contestants may steal his jack-o-lantern idea offers a parallel to Mouse's bad dream that they will all be alike. Yee's charming watercolor illustrations create a cohesive whole. A perfect selection any time of year.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2011

Mouse and Mole prepare for Halloween in the sixth book of Yee's popular series.

In the first chapter, Mouse excitedly decorates for the holiday. Mole is not sure he likes Halloween--too scary. The next chapter finds the two hunting for the perfect pumpkin. Mole and Mouse go about the search differently. Mouse cannot believe how many pumpkins there are: "Eeny, meeny, miny mumpkin / Which of you will be my pumpkin...? / You're it!" Mole is more careful. After tapping, turning and tugging them, he finds one he likes. Then it is time for the Pumpkin Carving Contest. Mouse's has mismatched eyes, an "itty-bitty" nose, "crooked teeth" and a leafy hairdo. She wins "for the silliest jack-o'-lantern!" Mole makes his pumpkin early and keeps it hidden. When the judges look, it is ."..sunken / and lumpy and smelly. / The once perfect eyes / were now squinty slits. / The smile had turned into a frown." Mole wins "for the sc-scariest j-jack-o'lantern!" Newly independent readers will find much humor and some challenging words, but Yee's small gouache-and-litho pencil illustrations cue perfectly. The final chapter focuses on how the duo overcomes Mole's fear of trick-or-treating. Mouse, ever the problem-solver, reads Mole a story about how two scared friends can be brave when they are together. This story within the story truly shows how sharing a good book with a friend can work wonders.

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