Mouse Mess

A really cute story about what a mouse does at night. The illistrations are outstanding. While the story line is good, what is even better about this book is it's possiblities. Every page has so many opportunities to expand the story into a learning lesson without the child becoming bored. i.e. Where is the mouse? What is the mouse doing? What do you think he'll do next? How many pencils are there in the mouse's house? What is the mouse eating? Can you find the apple with a leaf on its stem? What color is the cheese? What shape is the orange? Do you think he really found the mess or made the mess himself? By asking different questions each time you read it, both you and your child will be challenged and have fun at the same time.

We found this book at a school book fair about 2 years ago for my daughter who was 2 at the time. She loved it so much that our soft cover copy is in tatters and I need to get a new hardcover one. I had a broken leg a few months after we got the book and so she would have to go and get her own book and bring it to me to read. This was the only one she brought for weeks at a time. We could hear her reciting it to herself sometimes in bed at night, or when she was taking a bath, just about all the time. We don't know anyone else who knows about this book, but it is so wonderful and fanciful that all my 5 kids just love it. The pictures are full of color, the idea is mischevious, and the text is simply put without being simple. I highly recommend it.

My two year old twin sons LOVE this book. We read it several times a day. They repeat some of the phrases as I turn the pages and giggle at the mess the mouse has made while "acting" out some of the scenes. This book helps children to identify foods and other objects around the house and is in general a lot of fun to read. It has become my favorite book to give as a gift - this book should be in every house that has a child!

"Mouse Mess" is a beautiful picture book with stunning cut-paper illustrations. It tells the tale of a mischievous mouse who plays with his food and makes a mess of a human family's kitchen, then retires to bed. Children will love the absurd irresponsibility of it all, especially when Mouse surveys the scene he's created himself: "Who made this awful mess?" said Mouse, "These people need to clean their house!" Adults will enjoy witty moments such as Mouse raking corn flakes with a fork as if they were leaves, and jumping into the pile. This one also makes a good read-aloud for storytimes.

My two children (22 months and 15 months) love this book. They imitate the mouse as he creeps upstairs, eats his cookies, jumps into his cornflakes and takes a bath. Everytime we read it we discover a new detail. The mouse's expressions are wonderful and the details are exquisite. Everyone should have a copy of this book for their children.