Pick of the Day: Mice

FYLEMAN, Rose. Mice. illus. by Lois Ehlert. 40p. S & S/Beach Lane. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5684-6; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5686-0. LC 2011020555.
PreS-Gr 1–This storytime winner brings a new twist to the classic poem. The simple verse describes mousey attributes: “their tails are long,/their faces small,/they haven’t any chins at all.” Ehlert’s quirky, handmade paper-collage rodents (resplendent with hot pink circle ears, big front teeth, and string limbs) demonstrate by holding up a ruler, crafting a self-portrait, and peering into a mirror. They scamper over vegetables as they “run about the house,” dive nose-first into frosted cupcakes, and “nibble things they shouldn’t touch.” The jet black backgrounds highlight the large, white text and make the nighttime escapades of the mice appear three-dimensional. A surprise ending reveals the narrator to be a grinning feline. Preschoolers will undoubtedly agree that “Mice are rather nice.”–Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada