Mouse's First Valentine

Amazon.com
Little Mouse follows his big sister around the house early one February morning, wondering just what she's doing with the "smooth and rosy," "sticky and goopy," and "white and holey" things she searches for and finds. Finally, after a little paper folding, paste brushing, and lace smoothing, Mouse has his answer. "Little Mouse," his sister calls. "This valentine is just for YOU on Valentine's Day." Fans of Lauren Thompson and illustrator Buket Erdogan's other Mouse books, Mouse's First Christmas and Mouse's First Halloween, will be tickled pink to see this duo's Valentine's Day title. Soaked in Valentine reds, pinks, and purples, with text playfully wrapping around Mouse's tail or over his ears, this entertaining little picture book is just the thing to introduce young ones to the holiday or to inspire a creative afternoon of valentine-crafting for friends and family. (Ages 2 to 5) --Emilie Coulter


From Publishers Weekly
The star of Mouse's First Christmas and Mouse's First Halloween gets a heart-shaped card from big sister Minka in Mouse's First Valentine by Lauren Thompson, illus. by Buket Erdogan. As Minka collects the materials to make it paste, ribbon and lace Little Mouse sneaks behind her, each time asking "What could it be?" Minka answers each question on the following page. " `Red paper!' said Minka./ Just what I need.' " Erdogan's velvety palette in rosy tones warms the pages. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
reSchool-Grade 1--When little Mouse's big sister sneaks into the house, Mouse follows behind, trying to guess what she is looking for. Eventually, Minka creates a beautiful card for her younger sibling and states, "This valentine is just for YOU on Valentine's Day-because-" and finishes with "I love you" written on her creation. Erdogan's muted, chalky illustrations are delightful. Young children will enjoy guessing along with little Mouse as Minka finds "something white and holey." "What could it be? wondered Mouse." There are not very many picture books about Valentine's Day for this age group, and most of them seem to be set in classrooms. A sweet, refreshing selection for holiday collections and storyhours.Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CTCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 1-2. From the Rookie Choices series, these simple stories feature three good friends who call themselves the Corner Kids. In Box, they find a large cardboard carton. Three J (Jeffery James Judson) wants to make it into a fort, but Gabby prefers a race car, and Alex, a pirate ship. They pull the box in different directions, until it slightly rips. At Three J's suggestion, they stop tugging and start talking until they compromise and make the box into a clubhouse. In Game, Gabby ensures her team's victory in a tee ball game by sticking the ball to the tee with gum. Later, she regrets her poor judgment and confesses, causing her team to forfeit the game. Kids who have actually played tee ball may have trouble getting beyond the physical implausibility of Gabby's trick. Those who keep going will sympathize. Game is about sportsmanship, while Box focuses on communication. Adults concerned about character education will, no doubt, be pleased to have the thematic value of each book pointed out in large letters on a separate page before the actual story begins, while children can be counted on to skip over that page to get to the good parts. The expressive ink-and-watercolor-wash illustrations create a light, appealing look for the multicultural cast of characters. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
School Library Journal The author and illustrator make a superb team...


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

Thompson and Erdogan (Mouse's First Halloween, 2000, etc.) pair up yet again for a delightful dose of holiday cheer. This time, little Mouse trails big sister Minka as she sneaks about the house collecting ingredients for a special surprise. Throughout, visual and textual clues combine, allowing children the pleasure of predicting what's to come. "First, Minka creeped high and low / and all around / till she found something / smooth and rosy," reads an opening spread. The words "What could it be?" curl beneath Mouse's loopy tail as she struggles to climb atop the dresser that holds a stubby blue pencil and a sheet of paper. Readers turn the page to see little Mouse hiding behind a now-upright pencil and Minka broadly grinning as she grips the paper in her paws. " ￯﾿ﾽRed paper!' said Minka. / ￯﾿ﾽJust what I need.' " The quest continues as Minka collects lace, ribbon, and paste. Then she then puts the pieces together. In the end, Erdogan shows little Mouse peeking through a tangle of red ribbon as Minka adds the finishing touches. The last page shows the entire family together. Minka and little Mouse appear in the foreground holding the Valentine with the words "I love you" written in the center. Erdogan's palette of warm oranges, rich reds, deep violets, and blues conveys the comfort of home. His round-bodied mice are loaded with charm. Perfect for reading and sharing, it's another sweet treat from a talented team. (Picture book. 2-5)


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices