A DELICIOUS STORY

Sometimes a metafictional story just needs a little spice.

A small, blue-tinted mouse enters from the right side of the page. On the left, against the blank background, sits a big gray mouse, who asks, “What are you doing here?!” “I’m looking for a story,” responds the small mouse. The big mouse claims not to have seen one. But aren’t they in a book? The confession comes several pages later: “I was hungry.” The big mouse admits to having eaten the story that was supposed to be in the book. The small mouse is not happy. The larger rodent offers to replace the story but has trouble producing a new one under scrutiny and at one point amusingly disappears into the gutter as the smaller rodent waits with some impatience. Finally, the story that emerges is the one at hand: There was a story, but a big mouse ate it. The end? Fortunately, there’s more. The small mouse wants a surprise ending, and happily, there’s one in store. Saltzberg’s mice are big-eyed, plump, and friendly looking, and his lively use of the plain page as stage, wall, and background is intriguing and entertaining. Children will giggle; many will be inspired to craft their own tales. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Rib-tickling for many beginning readers and writers.