The Mousery

We really enjoy "The Mousery." Our four-year old gets a kick out of saying "the mousery" at the right spots in the text. The illustrations are wonderful and have given us lots of fodder for extended discussion of this story, mice, uses for old cars, and berry growing, among other things. That's one of the things that I think is important in books for this age group--you should be able to take the text and go on with it so the kids get used to thinking about stories, not just hearing them. This book got us going so far we even made our own "mousery" out of some boxes, fabric, etc. That was a project that took us through several long winter days and still holds our attention when we bring it out. Yep, we like "The Mousery" very much.

Can two ill-tempered mice hold on to their gloomy lifestyle when four, wee mouskins come knocking? This author shares a heart- warming, rhyming tale about two mice, Sliver and Slice, who live alone and want no guests in their Mousery. On occassion, a couple wandering mice try to join Sliver and Slice but are reminded that they are trespassing and the Mousery is not a hotel. This continues until one snowy night when four, shivering mousekins squeak, "Let us in." After looking at their ragged and thin sweaters, Sliver and Slice are weakened by the sight and cautiously unlatch the door, allowing the four to enter. The grateful mousekins immediately show their appreciation by building a fire and cooking brown beans and rice. In no time at all, the little mousekins capture the hearts of Sliver and Slice by singing a tune that their grandmother sang long ago. Sliver and Slice come to realize that they have been wrong by not wanting guests, and before long the Mousery is fifty three stong with laughter, squeals, and tasty meals. The illustrator delights the readers through vivid and very detailed scenes which take place mainly under the trunk and hood of an old, abandoned car. The illustrator cleverly uses auto parts such as a motor oil can as a fireplace and a license plate that reads NIX 2U. The Mousery can be told through the illustrations alone, but the tale is greatly enhanced by the lively, rhyming text.

A precious story with amazing illustrations. I read this book while volunteering at my 1st grader's school book fair and immediately put it in my "buy" stack. It is a delightful tale of humanity - even though it is told by hard-hearted mice.