Mahalia Mouse Goes to College (by John Lithgow)

While lots of stars write books for kids, few have the talent to do the job regardless of their famous names. John Lithgow is one who consistently produces terrific books for young readers, and MAHALIA MOUSE GOES TO COLLEGE is no exception. Originally written as his commencement speech for the Harvard class of '05 (a recording of the speech on CD is included), this rhyming story naturally translates to an intriguing picture book.

Lithgow understands the power of rhythm and rhyme, making his books lots of fun to "perform" as read-alouds. He also conveys a love of words, using a vocabulary that is challenging for the littlest kids but within an easy-to-understand context. Igor Oleynikov's illustrations are finely detailed, as suits a book about a mouse. Dark colors wash through the first part of the story, but the colors warm and brighten as Mahalia finds her footing in school.