Mouse Was Mad

May 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 2-When readers meet Mouse, he is furious. First he is "hopping mad," but expert Hare informs him that he is not hopping properly and shows him the correct moves. On the animated spreads that follow, Bear, Bobcat, and Hedgehog demonstrate how to be "stomping," "screaming," and "rolling-around-on-the ground" mad. However, each time Mouse tries to imitate them, he finds himself sprawled in a mud puddle. It is not until he is "standing-still mad" and none of the others can best his motionless stance that he begins to feel better. Through playful language and expressive watercolors with colored pencil and ink, this story about anger management proves to be both entertaining and therapeutic. Just like the heroine in Molly Bang's "When Sophie Gets AngryReally, Really Angry"] (Scholastic, 1999), Mouse finds his own way through his ire and, in the process, may help a few youngsters get a handle on their own."Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY"

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