Wemberly Worried

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Wemberly the mouse worries about everything: big things, like whether her parents might disappear in the middle of the night; little things, like whether she'll spill grape juice on her toy rabbit, Petal; and things in between, like whether she might shrink in the bathtub. What she is more worried about than anything else, however, is her first day at the New Morning Nursery School: "What if no one else has spots? What if no one else wears stripes? What if no one else brings a doll? What if the teacher is mean? What if the room smells bad?" Happily, Miss Peachum introduces her to a kindred spirit right away. Jewel doesn't have spots, but she is wearing stripes and holding a doll. As Wemberly plays with her new friend, she still worries, but no more than usual. ("And sometimes even less.")

Kevin Henkes, well-loved creator of the award-winning Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, gets to the heart of a child's feelings like no one else can. Young worrywarts (and their parents) will see themselves in Wemberly, and be relieved that she, too, worries about playground equipment ("Too rusty. Too loose. Too high."), sure-to-be-inhabited cracks in the wall, whether she will be the only butterfly in the Halloween parade, and, of course, whether school will be dreadful in every way. Henkes's Lilly-style illustrations are sweet, expressive, and loaded with funny, inventive details that invite close perusal with every reading. (Wemberly's roller-blading grandma, for example, is wearing a T-shirt that says "Go with the flow.") We're not worried about whether this book will become a classic--it will! (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson


From Publishers Weekly
Henkes (Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) introduces another wonderfully appealing child-mouse with a stubborn habit: worrying. Wemberly, a shy white mouse with gray spots, always feels nervous whether at home or away. "At the playground, Wemberly worried about/ the chains on the swings,/ and the bolts on the slide,/ and the bars on the jungle gym." She tells her father, "Too rusty. Too loose. Too high," while sitting on a park bench watching the other mice play. Her security blanket, a rabbit doll named Petal (whose spot over the left eye matches her own), rarely leaves her grip. Henkes adroitly juggles the main narrative, hand-lettered asides and watercolor-and-ink imagery of the young pessimist and her supportive parents; each element contributes a different strength. For instance, as he lists Wemberly's worries, "Big things" heads the list, paired with a vignette of the heroine checking on her parents in the middle of the night with a flashlight, "I wanted to make sure you were still here." He later shows how Wemberly's anxieties peak at the start of nursery school with huge text that dwarfs tiny illustrations. At this overwhelming moment, Wemberly meets another girl mouse, Jewel, who turns out to be a kindred spirit (she even carries her own worn doll). Henkes offers no pat solutions, handling the material with uncanny empathy and gentleness; while playing with Jewel, "Wemberly worried. But no more than usual. And sometimes even less." This winning heroine speaks to the worrywart in everyone. Ages 4-up. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
reSchool-Grade 2-This is a sparkling telling of the popular story by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, 2000). The anthropomorphic mouse worries about everything. Now Wemberly must face her biggest fear yet, the first day of school. Laura Hamilton provides a fine narration and an appropriately concerned and subdued mouse-like voice for Wemberly. She also narrates the text and provides the asides of many characters throughout the story. Wemberly's worries range from whether she might shrink in the bath to whether there may be a snake hiding in the radiator. Of course, Wemberly's parents and go-getting grandmother are supportive of her concerns. At school, Wemberly discovers a wealth of fun activities and a fellow worrier, Jewel. Background sound effects provide a nice touch running water for the bath, hissing for the radiator, etc. One side of the tape has page-turn signals, while on side two the story is told uninterrupted. Henkes has really tapped into children's fears, and they will relate to the appealing Wemberly and her many worries. This package is an excellent vehicle to address children's fears about starting school. A welcome addition for public and school libraries.Maren Ostergard, Bellevue Regional Library, King County Library System, WACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Wemberly is a worrier, no question about it. And the more she worries, the more worries she finds. She worries about everything at home, and now, at school. Laura Hamilton's Wemberly is perfect--her insecure, nervous, tremulous, little girl voice is exactly right, building in pace and tempo as her worries get bigger and bigger. She gives individual voices to the adults, especially grandmother's voice, but the voices of Wemberly and her friend, Jewel, are confusing. All the other ingredients: the page-turning sound, the wonderful sound effects--water running, bees buzzing, hinges squeaking--and the peppy, cheerful music combine to make this an excellent choice for 5- to 7-year-olds, who can relate to many of Wemberly's concerns. A charming story read at a slow, easy pace, with time to peruse the pictures and enjoy. W.L.S. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Wemberly, a little mouse girl, worries about big things, little things, and everything in between. If the radiator makes a noise, Wemberly wonders if there's a snake inside it. On Halloween, Wemberly, dressed as a butterfly, worries that there will be too many butterflies in the parade. When she's the only one, she worries about that, too. Henkes' catalogue of Wemberly's worries goes on a little too long, but on the plus side, each woe is an opportunity for Henkes' special pictures, which are played for both amusement and recognition, with each detail enhancing the total concept. Equal attention is paid to the expressions on Wemberly's face. Who knew there were so many nuances of worried? There's concern as Wemberly's stuffed animal, Petal, goes around in the washer; despair when Petal goes missing; and contained terror as the first day of school approaches. Happily, Wemberly meets a new friend named Jewel at school (and Petal meets Jewel's stuffed cat, Niblet), and suddenly the world doesn't seem quite so scary anymore. In many ways, Wemberly is the flip side of Henkes' sassy Lilly. As much as little ones love Lilly, the 'fraidy cats of the world will see themselves in this winsome worrywart. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Wemberly worried about everything.Big things. Little things.And things in between.Then it was time for school to start. And Wemberly worried even more.If you ever worry (or know someone who does), this is the book for you. 2001Notable Children's Books (ALA), "Best Books 2000(School Library Journal)", Best Children's Books 2000 (PW), Children's Books 2000-NY Public Lib., and National Parenting Publication-Gold Award


Card catalog description
A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.


About the Author
Kevin Henkes lives in Madison, Wisconsin. His novels include Protecting Marie and Words of Stone. Among his picture books are Owen, a 1994 Caldecott Honor Book; Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse; and Julius, the Baby of the World.In His Own Words..."I remember drawing at a very early age. I loved it. And my parents and teachers told me I was good at it -- that made me love it all the more.""I also loved books, and the ones I was lucky enough to own were reread, looked at over and over, and regarded with great respect. To me great respect' meant that I took them everywhere, and the ones I still own prove it. They're brimming with all the telltale signs of true love: dog-eared pages, fingerprints on my favorite illustrations, my name and address inscribed on both front and back covers in inch-high crayon lettering, and the faint smell of stale peanut butter on the bindings." "I wondered about authors and illustrators back then -- What did they look like? Where did they live? Did they have families? How old were they? -- but I never imagined that one day I would be one myself.""I became an author-illustrator when I was nineteen years old. I flew from my home in Racine, Wisconsin, to New York City with my portfolio, hoping to find a publisher. And magically enough Susan Hirschman at Greenwillow Books made my dream come true. My first picture book, All Alone, was published in 1987. Since then I've written and illustrated many picture books and written several novels. I like the variety of trying new ways to fill the pages between two covers. Experimenting with words and paint and ink keeps my job interesting." "I used to live with my parents and brothers and sister and work at a card table in my bedroom. Now I live with my wife, my son, and my daughter in our own house and work at a drawing table in my own studio. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be a real author and illustrator. I wouldn't trade it for anything."


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In Kevin Hanks thoroughly charming picturebook Wimberly Worried, Wemberly the mouse worries about everything, all the time, everywhere. Even though her parents and her friends try to reassure her and tell her not to worry. Kevin Henkes deftly writes and colorfully illustrates a delightful little picturebook tale will thoroughly entertain young readers even as it assures them that they, too, need never worry about everything, all the time. Other highly recommended "mouse" books by Kevin Henkes for young readers include Lily's Purple Plastic Purse; Owen; Chrysanthemum; Julius, The Baby Of The World; Chester's Way; Sheila Rae, The Brave; and A Weekend With Wendell.Read all 6 "From The Critics" >


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