Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mouse and Frog are avid storytellers. But the careful, deliberate Mouse has in mind a solo project-a tightly focused sketch of domestic life ("Once upon a time... in a quiet little home, Mouse woke up early and set the table")-while Frog is eager to collaborate on a sprawling, mostly incoherent epic involving a king, a dragon and lots of ice cream. It's a clash of creative wills and methods, which Freedman (The Story of Fish and Snail) portrays by having her protagonists draw their subject matter as they narrate it. Frog's ideas quickly (and literally) overwhelm Mouse, but the rodent's friendship clearly means a lot, and in one of many funny scenes, Frog sadly but dutifully erases his contributions, and solemnly tells his characters, "This story is Mouse's." But maybe a partnership isn't out of the question: Mouse's gift for structure and restraint and Frog's boundless imagination could create something wonderful. Wearing its metafictionality lightly and told largely through dialogue that begs for performance, Freedman's story speaks to power of creative passion and the rewards of playing well with others. Ages 3-5. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-One morning, Mouse wakes up especially early to get a head start on creating a new story. But just as she's setting the scene, Frog springs in and hijacks the tale. Mouse's simple yarn about a tea party spins wildly out of control as Frog adds a king, a dragon, fairies, cake and ice cream, and animals jumping over the moon. Narrator Susie Berneis does a wonderful job portraying Mouse's mounting frustration and Frog's high-spirited enthusiasm as more and more is crammed into the story. Ultimately, the two friends are able to compromise as they agree to cowrite a new story, realizing that each one of them has great ideas to offer. VERDICT This story will be a useful addition to units about friendship and teamwork, and the message of respecting each other's ideas and creativity comes across clearly for the youngest audiences.-Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Mouse and Frog have very different ideas about how to collaborate on a story. Though they bicker throughout, they find ways to compromise and come up with ideas that appeal to both of them. The playful meta illustrations show Mouse and Frog illustrating their story. Changes in font are used to indicate storytelling versus reality, but the narrative is still occasionally confusing. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Mouse wants to tell a simple, gentle story, but Frog bounces in and stirs it up.With metafiction crowding picture-book shelves these days, each new piece needs to earn its place, and this one does. On the opening endpapers, Mouse stands on a ladder painting the page's off-white, textured drawing paper a smooth, glossy white. "Once upon a time," Mouse begins, sketching in pencil, "Mouse woke up early and set the table""For F-r-r-o-o-g-g!" yells Frog in large type, leaping jubilantly onto the page from above. The conflict's set: Mouse wants to telland drawa calm, domestic story about tea, while Frog wants a king, a dragon and "elevendy-seven" flavors of ice cream. He bundles these elements and more into a breathless stream-of-consciousness plot with tumbling highlights from nursery rhymes, children's literature (stinky cheese, chicken soup, a bus-driving request) and breakfast cereal (or perhaps Elvis: "frankooberry mush"). Mouse screams "STOP!" amid an explosion of narrative images. Freedman renders Mouse, Frog, bits from their stories and most of the ensuing mess in watercolor, gouache, pencil and pastel; the stories under construction are largely dark gray pencil. The conflict's crescendo is a visual whirlwind, the penciled king and dragon crashing and splashing down into watery paint alongside Frog and Mouse. Luckily, Frog finds the pencil's eraser, and the pals find a sunny compromise. An elegant, exuberant portrayal of stylistic differences and child-writer passion. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
