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Common Sense Note

The author delights kids by turning their ordinary experiences into fun-filled fantasy. The witty writing and delicate pink, gray, and beige illustrations make this a great bedtime read.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Linda Rahm-Crites

Nearly every page of this collection is fresh and funny. The framed illustrations help establish the fairy tale-like setting of a house near the woods on a snowy night.

The implicit dangers of the cold and unknown world outside are offset by the comforting presence of Papa Mouse in his bathrobe, polka-dotted pajamas, and bedroom slippers. Papa Mouse models loving behavior in the way he relates to his wife and children: He sees his children off to sleep and then joins his wife for a nice cup of tea before the fire.

The stories provide an excellent transition from the read-aloud stage to reading alone, giving this collection what one parent calls "a long shelf life." Parents will love reading these stories (and, later on, listening as their children read them) again and again.

Readers who enjoy this book will also want to check out other Arnold Lobel books, such as Mouse Soup and Fables.

From The Book

But at the side of the road there was a person who was selling feet. So the mouse took off his old feet and put on new ones. He ran the rest of the way to his mother's house. When he got there his mother was glad to see him. She hugged him and kissed him, and she said, "Hello, my son. You are looking fine--and what nice new feet you have!"

Plot Summary:

Bedtime, bath time, and trips of all kinds have never been so fun: Sailboats get blown on top of houses, and wishing wells provide fancy clothes and double-dip ice cream cones. All the fantasy fun remains grounded in the real-world experiences of young children, so it's easy for them to relate to the story.

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