Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: mouse

  • NEED A HOUSE? CALL MS. MOUSE!

    NEED A HOUSE? CALL MS. MOUSE!

    The combination of illustrations and ideas in this wonderful Children’s Picture Book Need A House? Call Ms Mouse is superb. The book can be read and enjoyed by children (and adults who remember Beatrice Potter and May Gibbs).  The story begins with Ms Mouse showing her advertising board, presenting her as a builder decorator and designer.

    Then we see her portfolio which is quite extensive. “A treehouse for squirrel, a villa for the cat, a Manor for mole, and Frog’s pad.” Henrietta mouse is so busy she needs helpers and relies on the mice to work for her.

    The pages that follow this introduction are absolutely charming. Squirrel asks for a spaceship feeling, for his home in the trees. The design is carefully executed, with large airy spaces and built on three different levels. Doris Susan Smith has drawn the details well and allows the reader to see inside the home with all its quirks and devices.

    Trout wants his home to resemble Atlantis, with formal gardens and elaborate decorations. Frog’s pad is a glorious construction, opulent and spacious, while Otter’s hunting lodge caters for his every need.

    This delightful story with its personable characters, values individuals. Henrietta, the dreamer and artistic planner, and each of the animals with their specific requests, are able to help each other to build their dream. The minimum amount of text on the double page spreads shows how powerfully the artwork and details complete the story.

    I would highly recommend Need A House? Call Ms Mouse and hope it is the beginning of many more collaborations between George Mendoza and Doris Susan Smith.

  • There’s a Mouse in My House

    There’s a Mouse in My House

    Colourful, hard back picture books always have a great appeal for young readers and those who read the stories to them; There’s a Mouse in My House is no exception. It has a marvellous, cranky Polar Bear on the front cover. The reason he looks so cranky is because he has a mouse standing on his head!

    The presentation of the story flows beautifully, with bold colours on the double page spreads, and large simple illustrations. Though the illustrations are simple, the expressions on the bear’s face and the posture of the mouse show exactly what they are thinking. The drawings complement and complete the text.

    Simple and expressive the text flows along in rhythm with the print size good for younger readers to look at, with words that are emphasized printed in red which is an advantage for the reader, allowing them to follow the Author’s intent.

    There’s A Mouse In My House has a storyline full of humour. A Polar Bear who lives alone is invaded by a mouse who is a taekwondo expert, a foodie, and who loves to listen to soft rock at night. What a dilemma! A solution must be found, but it is delivered in a most unexpected way.

    There’s A Mouse In My House is a story which will be read again and again.  Luckily, it is such fun that the reader will not be too concerned.

  • The Sisters Saint-Claire and the Royal Mouse Ball

    The Sisters Saint-Claire and the Royal Mouse Ball

    In a dainty little story created from rhyming couplets, five French mice, all who love fashion, food and of course all things French, come to the help of their Queen Julie S Cheeser, who wants to hold a Royal ball, but somehow can’t get it quite right, as nearly all of the lovely mice from the township feel they simply will not be able to go to the ball, because they do not have clothing suitable to wear.

    This puts poor Queen Julie in a terrible situation, but what to do? She finds her way to the home of Harriet, Violet, Beatrice, Minette, little Cecile and their parents and asks what it is that is preventing the invited guests from accepting her invitation.

    They invite her in for a cup of tea and help Queen Julie solve the sad situation with ease. Because they all love fashion, and because they have always had to be careful with the money they spend, all the mice have always shopped for their fashion very carefully, never overspending and always making something new, out of something old.

    A plan is created to issue another invitation, this time inviting all the mice to come to the ball in outfits made from things in their own house. What a wonderful idea.

    This is a gorgeous and delicate story about, family, friends and being happy with what you have, as well as carefully illustrating the point that sometimes, even thought you think everyone else is better off than you, because they have everything they ever wanted, this is not always the case.

    As this is the second adventure for the Sisters Saint-Claire, it sets the standard for what is sure to be more wonderful rhyming storylines from Clair Gibson. The illustrations from Tamsin Ainslie create a delightful old-world charm which complements the text beautifully. On many of the pages so many little items are there to be discovered making this a book that will appeal to little girls who love fashion, tiny little bits and bobs and a really good mouse tale to tell.