Parents' Guide to

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Clever read fun to share with phobia-prone kids.

Book Emily Gravett Picture Book 2008
Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

LoveToPaint
LoveToPaint Parent of 2, 5 and 7-year-old
March 30, 2011
age 5+

Through a Child's Eyes

My children hated this book. My girls are very sensitive and when you look at picture books it's important to think about how it will look to children who can't read. Until the very last page, the pictures are all very scared and then suddenly at the end, the adult is scared of the mouse. Research has shown that children aren't going to remember the ending, they're going to remember everything else in the book (per research in Nurture Shock).

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Little Mouse is afraid of just about everything (panaphobia), from spiders (arachnophobia) to shadows (sciaphobia) and solitude (isolophobia). Grasping her red pencil, she admits each fear as page after page of this encyclopedia/journal offers the technical name of a phobia, a quick definition, clever illustration, and space for mouse, and reader, to record reactions and feelings.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

LITTLE MOUSE'S (aka Emily Gravett's) BIG BOOK OF FEARS is an amazing creation. Not so much a story to be read as a springboard for discussing and imagining, it is built on a simple, down-to-earth premise brought to life through amazing illustrations and a comfortably interactive format. Immediately inside the front cover, Gravett sets out the basic tenets: "Everyone is scared of something. Living with fear can make even the bravest person feel small ... a fear faced is a fear defeated." She has managed her own fears, she says, through art and doodling, and she welcomes Little Mouse, and the reader, to do the same on the pages of her book.

Constructed much like a scrapbook or journal, the artistry of this book is outstanding and cleverly detailed. Little Mouse, who looks more like a pet white rat, scampers across tea-stained pages filled with doodles, cards, photos, and news clippings. She carries a red pencil that gets shorter, more worn, and definitely chewed on as she moves nervously through the book, recording her own fears and adding her own doodles. Pages nibbled around the edges (added by the author's daughter's pet rats) and tender, expressive drawings in muted tones of beige, brown, and red give a look that is both light-hearted and inviting.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about each of things Little Mouse is afraid of: spiders, insects, monsters, going to bed, knives, bathing, and so on. How does being afraid make her feel? What exactly makes her afraid? Does she have any real reason? What does she do about it? What fears do you have? How do you handle them? On each page, the author offers space for the reader to record his or her fear, and she encourages expression through drawing, writing, or collage-making. Do you think that might help with your fears? Do you agree that facing fears might help you overcome them?

Book Details

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