From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K-Mouse and Mole share a "wee little" life in a "wee little" house, and decide to venture out one dark night through a swamp and wood. Fearful and nervous, the mole relies on the braver mouse to lead them along. Meanwhile, a hungry, impatient bear appears to be waiting for something before he can eat from the full table he has set in his lair. Mole and Mouse become lost and scared, while Bear decides to go out and find what he is waiting for, grumpily approaching the two friends and growling "YOU'RE LATE!" The little creatures are then happily relieved, and readers see that they are the anticipated guests of Bear, who has waited for their visit to share the feast he has prepared. Wheeler has written a menacingly suspenseful romp in scenes alternating between Mouse and Mole's venture and Bear's imposing anger. The wax pencil crayon and watercolor illustrations depict the lair scenes in browns and yellows and the outdoor nighttime vistas in blue greens, and the characters' expressions nicely reflect all the nervous tension. Children will probably not realize that Bates has provided a bit of foreshadowing in the original lair scene showing an abundantly set table. Deliciously scary.
Rita Soltan, formerly at Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MICopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"Engaging rhymes and well-timed cross-cutting between the scenes creates an air of shivery expectancy as Mouse and Mole head into what looks like a direct confrontation with a bear," PW said. Ages 3-7. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. (
Publishers Weekly )
PreSchool-K-Mouse and Mole share a "wee little" life in a "wee little" house, and decide to venture out one dark night through a swamp and wood. Fearful and nervous, the mole relies on the braver mouse to lead them along. Meanwhile, a hungry, impatient bear appears to be waiting for something before he can eat from the full table he has set in his lair. Mole and Mouse become lost and scared, while Bear decides to go out and find what he is waiting for, grumpily approaching the two friends and growling "YOU'RE LATE!" The little creatures are then happily relieved, and readers see that they are the anticipated guests of Bear, who has waited for their visit to share the feast he has prepared. Wheeler has written a menacingly suspenseful romp in scenes alternating between Mouse and Mole's venture and Bear's imposing anger. The wax pencil crayon and watercolor illustrations depict the lair scenes in browns and yellows and the outdoor nighttime vistas in blue greens, and the characters' expressions nicely reflect all the nervous tension. Children will probably not realize that Bates has provided a bit of foreshadowing in the original lair scene showing an abundantly set table. Deliciously scary. Rita Soltan, formerly at Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. (
School Lirbrary Journal )
