Mooseltoe [Paperback]

Margie Palatini (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2007

Moose thinks he has all his Christmas preparations taken care of, but at the last minute he must come up with a substitute for the Christmas tree.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This charming verse story, told in a singsong rhythm, stars a moose who is determined that his family's Christmas will be "perfectly perfect." Moose "shopped till he dropped. Check," and "baked tons of tins of cookies. Check,"--but in his haste he completely forgets to buy a Christmas tree. After a long, fruitless search in the snow on Christmas Eve, he finally has to do the heroic thing: stand in a corner and become the tree himself. The crayon illustrations by Henry Cole make much of Moose's endless handlebar "moostache." The rhymes may be rather forced for some tastes--"The kids tried to make the best of it. They said 'Oh so who needs a tree?' But Moose could plainly see they were short on the glee." But perhaps that's all just part of the amoosement value. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Ages 3-6. The moose with the amazing mustache, last seen in Moostache (1997), is getting ready for Christmas, and he's totally organized. Baking cookies, check; sending holiday cards, check; buying gifts, check, check, check. It doesn't become apparent until Christmas Eve that one important job has been left undone: there's no Christmas tree! So Moose makes the ultimate sacrifice for his family--he lets them hang tinsel and ornaments from his long mustache, wrap lights around his antlers, and stick a star on the top of his head. The telling is amusing but odd: in the middle of the story the words start to rhyme, though the text continues to be set down on the page as prose. Consequently, librarians will want to practice before reading this aloud to a group or they're sure to stumble. The cartoon-style watercolors, however, reminiscent of Lynn Munsinger's work, are both boisterous and droll. They're especially amusing whenever Moose and his moustache come into view. The dust jacket, featuring a bedecked, bemused Moose, will draw children into the story. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 28 pages
• Publisher: Scholasatic Inc (2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439330408
• ISBN-13: 978-0439330404
• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wow. My very first picture book -- PIGGIE PIE!, is celebrating
it's fifteenth anniversary this year! It tickles me to know that
'Gritch' is still giving giggles.
Visit her and my other characters on my website: www.margiepalatini.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Full of Holiday Cheer, December 5, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mooseltoe (Hardcover)

Mr Moose is back with his amazing and unrivaled handlebar "moosetache" to help us get ready for the holidays. He wants Christmas to be "perfectly perfect" for his family and so he's armed with his checklist to make getting ready easy and simple. First he writes and addresses all his cards, check. Then he shops 'til he drops, check. Then he wraps and ribbons, bakes and cooks and even roasts the chestnuts, check check check. And on and on, decorating and singing and checking off his list. On the night before Christmas he hangs the stockings, just so and calls his family in to see that everything is "perfectly perfect". But his kids notice a BIG problem...he forgot the Christmas tree. Off Mr Moose goes in search of a tree, any tree, but he's out of luck. There just aren't any trees left. As he comes home empty handed, he has a very clever idea to solve his problem and before you know it Mr Moose and his moosetache are decorated and standing in the corner, waiting for Santa. Margie Palatini has written an imaginative, amusing story that will charm and delight youngsters from 3-7. Her rhyming text and Henry Cole's bold, colorful and very expressive illustrations will have your little ones giggling, as they enjoy watching Mr Moose get ready for Christmas. This is a picture book filled with holiday joy and cheer and a wonderful addition to your home library.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta love the Moose!, December 5, 2003

By 

Tricia (Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mooseltoe (Hardcover)

I fell in love with Moostache first. When I read Mooseltoe I was hooked again! My daughter is 3 and has already asked me to read it over and over. I even volunteered to read it to her class and it kept the attention of almost 10 2-3 yr olds! I have ordered 5 copies of this book(so far)to give as gifts this year. I promise you will love this book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Children will beg to hear "Mooseltoe" again and again!, December 20, 2000

By 

Caron Lynn Miller (Beckley, WV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mooseltoe (Hardcover)

What an amazing Christmas book! If there was only one Christmas book I could recommend to you, it would be this hilarious book. The 2nd class that I read this book to was laughing the whole time and joined in when it was time to say "perfectly perfect". As a teacher, you know that your students love a book when they can join along and read parts of the story with you. I love reading this book and I know you will as well. I agree with the other reviews, this book is very well written. But let's not forget about the terrific illustrations that will spark the children's interests. This will be a holiday story that will humor hearts of all ages.