Valentine Mice! ANNOTATION
An energetic group of mice deliver valentines to the other animals.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
"Skip! Hop! Zip! Nip!" The sprightly characters from "Halloween Mice!" frolic across a wintry landscape to deliver valentines to all their woodland friends. Lively rhymed text filled with sounds that are fun to say aloud, and a simple mystery -- what happened to the littlest mouse? -- that is happily solved, make this a perfect book to share with a very young audience.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
decorated cards to woodland pals. Roberts's simple, somewhat choppy text introduces beginning readers to basic words and rhyming sounds as the four mice, bundled up against the cold, make their rounds: "One to the rabbit, two for the squirrels, three for the chipmunks. Zip! Nip!" After tossing the remaining Valentines into the air ("Shower valentines! THROW! THROW! THROW!"), three seemingly punchy mice make a sobering discovery: the fourth has disappeared. Cushman's motion-filled, festive watercolors humorously document the rescue of the missing mouse, who has become buried in snow. The artist realizes a welcome balance of the real and the whimsical, giving preschoolers the chance to identify various animal species while enjoying such lighthearted images as a moose with a Valentine tucked into its antlers. A spirited if slight holiday caper. Ages 3-6. (Jan.)
"The rhyming text is cheerful and moves along quickly: ‘More to deliver. Cross the pond./Slide, Glide. Slip! Flip!’ The smallest mouse is temporarily buried in the snow, causing the only anxiety in the story. Will the others find him: Can they pull him out? Not to worry. This holiday devoted to love would not be complete without a group hug to make the cold little creature feel better. The bright watercolor cartoons add to the sense of fun. The pleased expressions of the creatures receiving the cards are charming. . . . A fun offering."
Children's Literature
Four lively mice enthusiastically deliver their Valentine cards and bring good cheer to all the animals in the snowy forest. They shower Valentines all over the place until the littlest mouse goes missing while they are on the trail. After hunting and calling for a short while, they spot a mitten in the snow and dig their companion out. Everyone gives him a Valentine hug. The text is short, simple, and a comfortable size on the page, making it a good beginning reader.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1Four bustling mice deliver Valentine's Day cards to animals living in a snowy forest. The rhyming text is cheerful and moves along quickly: "More to deliver. Cross the pond./Slide. Glide. Slip! Flip!" The smallest mouse is temporarily buried in snow, causing the only moment of anxiety in the story. Will the others find him? Can they pull him out? Not to worry. This holiday devoted to love would not be complete without a group hug to make the cold little creature feel better. The bright watercolor cartoons add to the sense of fun. The pleased expressions of the creatures receiving the cards are charming. A curious note: the mice are dressed in winter clothes complete with hats and mittens, but the other animals have only their natural fur. A fun offering, though not a must-have.Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
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