FOR EVERYONE TO SHARE

While his sleeping brothers and sisters snuggle up to mother, Little Mouse ventures out of the cozy nest to discover new smells, the brightness of daylight, a furry coated buzzing bee, flowers, the sun in the bright blue sky, a blue-and-purple butterfly, singing birds, whispering grasses, starry daisies and dewdrops on a spider’s web. Wondering what all these marvels could be, Little Mouse, about to return home, meets his searching mother, who explains his discovery of the beautiful world, which is there “for everyone to share.” Howarth’s animated paintings depict a cuter-than-cute mouse making his way through a natural garden setting rendered in blends of green, yellow and pale blue. This latter-day Miranda’s discovery of his brave new world is an undeniably feel-good story. However, the overlong and repetitious text may leave young readers—and will more certainly leave their grown-ups—wishing they’d chosen something with rather more emotional complexity, such as Martin Waddell’s Tiny’s Big Adventure (2004). (Picture book. 3-5)