Customer Reviews

Once Upon a Twice (Picture Book)

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A special sense of fun and wonder pervades this outstanding new book. Denise Doyen's inventive story and language provides the fun (and some beguiling mischief and suspense), and illustrator Barry Moser's enchanted nighttime environment provides the wonder. The atmospheric setting is recognizable yet transcendent, and the word-and-picture imagery yields fresh verbal and visual landscapes for toddlers through grade-schoolers. This magical story about nighttime mouse adventures (and one mouse's particularly bold/foolhardy escapade), is one of those rare tales that adults and kids will genuinely enjoy.

First-time author Doyen judiciously uses a literary device called portmanteau, creating a new word through the combination of two or more words that share meaning, sound, or both. The result is a poetic whole that communicates much more than its parts: Connotation, symbolism, and a kind of magic-speak that children spontaneously verbalize during language acquisition. Because of that linguistic realism, it's cute but neither cloying nor gimmicky.

It's probably best to give an example. Here, in an early scene, a troop of cautiously crawling mice confronts young "Jam," a bold rascal of a mouse who blocks their path towards safety:

"They runrunnel through the riddle--
Secret ruts hid inbetwiddle--
But one mousling jams the middle--
Whilst he goofiddles, others howl:

Who's the holdup? What's the matter?
Night's qui-etiquette is shattered!
Eldermice race toward the chatter;
Scattered line, slowed to a crawl.

What do they find?"

The mice have reason to fear unseen nocturnal dangers, for predators are wily and fast, with keen eyes and appetites. The following stanzas are set against a dark, reedy part of the marsh (punctuated by fireflies!), framed by a barely-seen snake at lower left, and a large bird of prey flying on the right:

"Cold eyes of gold watch without wink
For our ears and eyes of pink,
From out the air, the field the brink,
They slink up on a mouse at play.

If those who swoop or them that pounce
Glimmer just a whisk! An inch! An ounce!
Jaw-claws will trounce a wayward mouse,
Renounce jam foolery!
Go home and stay."

As much as "Once Upon a Twice" may remind some of "nonsense" poems (most famously, "Jabberwocky"), the preceding excerpt shows that the book's wonder and building suspense doesn't rely on neologisms. Doyen ignites our senses with her dramatic imagery and bold sentence structure even with "ordinary" words. They seem magical and ancient, as if we've discovered a parchment written by faeries. For every new clever word combination (for example, "riskarascal," "preycautions," "mouncelors," "wanderyonder") there are anchor words and phrases that make Jam's very narrow snake escape understandable for young audiences.

Of course, credit also belongs to multiple award-winning illustrator Barry Moser, one of our best illustrators, and a national treasure. He portrays a darkened, dangerous habitat, but illuminates the foreground with just enough overhead and reflected light to focus our attention on each scene's most important elements. Moser imbues the animals with easily recognizable emotions, and he helps us follow the action by pointing their eyes towards the pages' focal points. It's a lush, magical place for youngsters, and reminds me of the very best set decorations on a Disneyland ride. This ranks among Moser's best work.

Doyen is a master storyteller; her poetic images and fully developed narrative deliver sensational fun and excitement. It's one of the best kids' books I've read in many years; I predict both critical and popular acclaim. Doyen and Moser's rarely seen harmony of spirit and tone illuminate the extraordinary that often lies just beyond our reach.

Note for Teachers and Parents: "Once upon a Twice" is appropriate for creative lessons in language, poetry, folklore, nature, and illustration, and the large format will work for group or individual reading. However, I see this new classic on a more personal level: An adult and a child creating their own special moments together while sharing the book. Over time (perhaps "once upon a twice") it becomes a treasured favorite, and a memory-making keeper.

This book is so much fun to read aloud, I didn't mind when the kids asked that I read it again, and again,...and again! Once Upon a Twice uses fun word-play and beautiful pictures to paint a story that captures your imagination! Don't miss it.

A beautiful book for all ages. It is literary but not stuffy. There is plenty of action and suspense in this cautionary tale which is enhanced by Barry Mosers's dark and moody illustrations. Denise Doyen has pulled off quite a feat with her first book. I am sure that it is a picture book that will be well-loved and enduring.

Heartful tale with glorious rhythm, rhyme and illustrations. It whispers to be read aloud again and again!

A beautiful and beautifully written classic-in-the-making. Children will root for Jam on his daring journey and hold their breath when things go awry. This delightful gem is sure to captivate young imaginations with the joy of discovering the story's multiple facets upon each successive read.

This is an amazing book, full of innovative new words (which, unlike the words in "Jabberwocky", actually *make sense*!) and gorgeous (if slightly scary) pictures.

The story (about a mouse who runs off and almost gets eaten) may be a bit scary for some kids. Use your best judgment.

I am always on the lookout for great kids book for my three year old. He is into books on volcanoes, storms, Lightening McQueen, and Transformers...which is fine but I am always trying to find great books that will introduce him to magical stories, poetry, and the art of writing. This was an amazingly fun book, that is written in a beautifully lyrical style, it is a great adventure, and uses fun non-sense words that make reading it similar in tone to reading the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll.

Jam is a mouse that wants to go against what his elders teach him. So he sneaks away from the other mice for a nighttime adventure. When the adventure almost ends in disaster he learns an important lesson.

The artwork throughout this book is amazing. The book takes place at night, so the book is mostly dark. The paintings are beautiful and fun.

The story and writing are simple, but done in a fairy tale poetic type of style. The phrases are all rhyming and Doyen makes up a number of nonsense words. Surprisingly the nonsense words make absolute sense in the story and they add a lot to the rhythm of the reading. This is a great book to read out loud.

I highly recommend this book for kids; adults would even enjoy a read through or two. It is one of my family's favorite picture books. It is fun, full of adventure, poetic, lyrical, and rhythmic...just a super fun book to read out-loud. Kids will enjoy the non-sense words, that somehow make perfect sense in context. Everyone will enjoy the fun sound the story has to it and the beautiful pictures. This is really an exceptional children's picture book.

This book is pure Shakespeare for little children!
It's surprising vocabulary is SO FUN! My 3 year old asks for it over and over again. We borrowed it from our public library so often, I had to buy it! INSPIRING writing!

Denise Doyen's first picture book "Once Upon A Twice" will (or should) soon take its place on your bookshelf beside such nonsense classics as Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky and Edward Lear's The Owl and The Pussycat. Doyen uses such deliciously evocative and tasty language (much of it made up) that you won't be able to help reading it over and over.

More please!

Denise Doyen has masterfully told a tale that, through the use of inventive, poetic, imaginative prose, will ensure young readers a brain-tingling adventure in language that will enhance their intellects and educate their young minds. This they will hardly notice because mostly they will know that they are having fun. Thus reading will take on a new dimension for them; all the better for us all.