A DAY WITH MOUSSE

Mousse enjoys himself while dealing with an unexpected, demanding houseguest.

Mousse—a small, long-snouted creature with a green-and-white-striped body and stick-figure limbs—begins each day by reveling in such simplicities as “the strip of sunlight that shines through his window each day.” As the day goes on, readers learn that the nearby sea washes into Mousse’s house daily, allowing him to make a living by collecting marine treasures such as shells (he takes care to return living animals to the water) and shipping them to online buyers. But today, a walrus named Barnacle has washed in with the tide and begins to help himself to Mousse’s food and favorite book. Mousse unceremoniously attempts to oust Barnacle. The illustrations that follow hilariously contradict the text, which implies that Barnacle has left; he has in fact used Mousse’s bathtub and slept in Mousse’s bed. Yet compassionate Mousse eventually nurses Barnacle through an illness and tolerates a visit from Barnacle’s large family. Reminiscent of the late William Steig’s work, this imaginative French import blends elegant turns of phrase with delicate art, rendered in watercolor and pen and ink. Divided into three chapters, the text includes challenging syntax and vocabulary, but emergent readers will eagerly push on, encouraged by the gentle humor and by their feelings of sophistication over the naïve Mousse. The interplay between visuals and words is a sheer delight, while the final punchline will have little ones giggling.

Enchanting.