Something for You

September 9, 2019
A bighearted maximalist offers a minimalistic gift in Mylie’s picture book debut.When a mouse in an orange jacket drops a cake by a friend’s house (“I’ve got something”) and discovers her tucked in and ailing (“Oh no! You’ve got something, too”), he tends to her with care. And after making tea, opening the window, and putting on some Chopin nocturnes, he promises a return visit—and a gift. Tender, softly colored ink-and-wash snapshots with a classic feel show the mouse setting off on a search. He wanders through a pebble- and garbage-strewn path (where he fills his pockets with blooms, “some for me, some for you”), through a drainpipe (“this is mine, too,” he notes, hefting a shell to his ear), and hiking up a rocky hill. There, he finds and wrestles free an enormous purple thistle: “This will be just for you.” An unexpected storm steals the blooms away, and he returns to his pal, despondent, in the rain: “nothing for me,/ nothing for you.” But his friend—reading Abel’s Island in bed when he arrives—suggests that friendship requires little more than “us.” An affectionate tale of friendship. Ages 3–6.

November 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-A mouse goes to visit a friend only to discover that she is sick in bed. He does his best to care for her but then sets out on a journey to find something special to cheer her up. Along the way, he unearths lots of pretty objects; some are perfect for her and others are perfect for him. While collecting these gifts, he runs into a bit of trouble and loses everything. The disappointed mouse returns to his friend's bedside empty-handed, but soon learns he already possessed the best gift of all-friendship. Mylie's creative watercolor illustrations awaken this friendship story. Each illustrated panel is rich with such fine detail and soft coloring that the spare text is almost unnecessary. VERDICT A timeless story about the beauty and value of friendship that young readers will want to revisit time and time again.-Maegen Rose, Rye Country Day School, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2019
When a fancy present for a sick friend goes awry, a kindhearted mouse realizes friendship is the greatest gift of all. Upon finding a friend ill, a fawn-colored mouse provides tender care. With sweet devotion the visitor brews tea, plays music, and tucks in the blankets. While the ailing friend sleeps, the visiting mouse journeys out, gathering pocketfuls of flowers to bring back; but when a storm blows the bouquet away, the bereft mouse dejectedly returns empty-handed. Kind words and a hug await as the gray mouse offers reassurances that being together is enough. The text is kept to a bare minimum, consisting mostly of variations on the titular phrase. The illustrations, done in watercolor, pen, and pencil, carry the narrative and offer shades of meaning that keep the repetition from feeling stale. Frequently laid out in overlapping panels, they feature simply cartooned, expressively appealing characters. While the pastel palette may be reminiscent of Kevin Henkes, these mice--with their rounder faces and physiques--are all sincerity, without the individuality or hilarity of Henkes' mice stories. Sophisticated layouts and clever use of panels create a visual narrative that takes readers on a journey with the character. A comforting reminder of friendship's restorative properties. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.