Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The husband-and-wife creators of the Snowmen series touch on both the religious and secular sides of Christmas as a family of mice learns about the holiday festivities unfolding in the human house in which they live. After Mr. Mouse leaves his family's nook to explore, he "stared in puzzled delight/ as an evergreen tree was brought inside/ and covered with twinkling lights." Having overheard the Nativity story, as well as details about Santa's visit, Mr. Mouse tells his family what he has discovered: "All that fussing upstairs is for Christmas,/ and Christmas means joy, and love." Caralyn Buehner's verse can be less than precise in its cadence and meter, though Mark Buehner's paintings are full of fun visual details. Readers are invited to locate a hidden rabbit, cat, and dinosaur in each illustration-a surprisingly challenging task that will likely have frustrated readers looking to the answer key. Ages 3-5. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Delightful rhyming verse presents the tale of Mr. Mouse and his family as they discover Christmas traditions. After moving into the warm spot beneath the kitchen stove in a big house, Mr. and Mrs. Mouse are curious to find out why the human family is decorating the evergreen that was brought into the home and why the kitchen smells of ginger and peppermint. Mr. Mouse soon discovers all the preparation is for Christmas and hears about a child born long ago and a jolly man named Santa who brings gifts to celebrate the baby Jesus's birth on a day called Christmas. Mr. and Mrs. Mouse decide that their family should also celebrate Christmas. The double-page, warm, colorful illustrations offer an opportunity to really examine the drawings; three creatures (rabbit, cat, tyrannosaurus) are hidden on each page. VERDICT A fun and engaging tale to share one-on-one.-Diane Olivo-Posner Los Angeles Public Library © 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
In these jaunty verses (with the occasional rhythmic hitch), the Mouse family moves into a human home and discovers Christmas. Glowing illustrations, featuring a Borrowers-like Mouse household, show how the mice create their own joyful celebration. A hidden item treasure hunt is an added bonus, though the answer key is located (inconveniently for libraries) inside the book jacket. (c) Copyright 2016. 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
Mr. and Mrs. Mouse and their 17 children celebrate their first Christmas in their new home under the floorboards of a warm kitchen. The husband-and-wife creators of the popular Snowmen at Night series move from snowy scenes to a cozy mouse house with a large family of anthropomorphic mice. In rhyming verse, the text describes how Mr. Mouse buys a new home for his family in a safe spot in a big house occupied by a human family getting ready for Christmas. Inspired, Mr. and Mrs. Mouse decide to provide a celebration for their family, too. With tiny items taken from the human home, the mouse parents create a decorated Christmas tree, and Mrs. Mouse sews pajamas for all the children. Santa doesn't forget the mouse family on Christmas Eve, leaving tiny presents for all. Mark Buehner's detail-filled paintings are great fun to peruse. Memorable illustrations include a magical scene of the mouse couple hiding in the humans' Christmas tree and a sweeping view of the reindeer in flight as seen from above. Each illustration also contains three tiny hidden animals (a rabbit, a cat, and a Tyrannosaurus rex), which are often difficult to spot and are unnecessary to the story. A key to these hidden pictures is printed on the inside of the dust jacket. Overall, a warm Christmas story with jolly rhymes and happy times for both the humans and the mice who share this house. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
