Snow Day for Mouse

August 13, 2012
While pursuing a stray gumdrop, bespectacled Mouse (star of Haunted House, Haunted Mouse and other stories) gets swept out into the snow, where he skates, sleds, and narrowly escapes the claws of a stalking cat. Once safely back indoors, Mouse gathers cookie crumbs to give to the “quivery, shivery birds” outside on the telephone wire and helps them with their migration. Ebbeler’s generously detailed acrylics brim with comedic details (the expressive birds are forlornly dressed for the tropics, and the two human boys in Mouse’s house turn gingerbread cookies into grotesque aliens and robots) and offer surprises on every page. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2012
In his fourth outing (Haunted House, Haunted Mouse, 2011, etc.), Mouse has a snowy adventure that could easily make the jump to being a wordless Pixar short. Cox's hapless Mouse doesn't let anything get him down, making him a character sure to enjoy a wide fan base. Ebbeler's comical acrylic illustrations are the stars here, depicting the undertakings of the accidentally swept-out Mouse as he explores and makes the most of the snowy landscape out of doors. Making the acquaintance of three southbound, camera-wearing, suitcase-toting, sombrero-wearing birds who watch and influence his activities, Mouse ice skates in a puddle, toboggans on a leaf and makes some rad snow sculptures of his new friends. Throughout, the cat just misses pouncing on the Stuart Little-esque Mouse, but not for lack of (repeated) trying. And when Mouse makes it back to the warmth of the house, he remembers "the quivery, shivery, hungry birds," ending the tale with a gentle, feel-good message perfectly delivered. Ebbeler brings readers into the setting with everyday details--the ugly, crisscrossing power lines, boot treads and wonderfully textured fur and feathers, but it's the humorous details that will stand out to readers--don't miss the rooftop snow sculpture. Readers will look forward to taking this snow-day romp again and again. (Picture book. 4-8)

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November 1, 2012

PreS-K-It's a snowy, blowy day outside, but Mouse is safe and sound in the house. Unfortunately, a pesky cat keeps stalking him, and pretty soon he is swept outside along with the feline. Outside are three hilarious birds who are trying to go south. Their bags are packed and they have festive, warm-weather clothes on. They watch Mouse explore the snow and cheer him on in his quest to avoid the cat, like a flying peanut gallery. And when Mouse finally makes it back inside, he remembers his shivering friends and does something kind. This fourth story about Mouse perfectly sums up the euphoria of fresh-fallen snow. Cox's text rhymes throughout, and reads aloud well: "Mouse scampered between their feet, undetected, unsuspected." The author also combines descriptive words in a new and fresh way, such as snow being likened to "mounds of mashed potatoes." Ebbeler's illustrations expand on the text, with details everywhere to pore over, including a superhero snowman and a puffy, fluffy bedroom slipper. Mouse himself is a delight, with his thick glasses and striped pullover. While this book will be enjoyed in more northern states, it will be just as much fun to pull it out in the desert heat.-Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.