ONE GRAY MOUSE

A mouse goes on a quest for a better life in this original fairy tale from author/illustrator Nedelcu (Just Like Daddy, 2015).

Four mice of various colors live together in a cave. Green Mouse wishes for better food than rotten fruit, Red Mouse is angry they live in the dark, Blue Mouse is afraid of everything, and Gray Mouse is full of doubt, wondering if this is all there is. When a Yellow Mouse appears with the promise of a quest for a better future, the mice join in even though Gray Mouse doubts that Yellow Mouse’s promises will come true. Their journey reveals that they’re actually on the back of a dragon; Yellow Mouse promises that if the mice can control their hunger, anger, and fear and hold onto hope for something better, they’ll triumph. It’s predictable that the mice fall prey to their failings, and Yellow Mouse continues without them; when they set off again, it’s Gray Mouse who perseveres. There’s a gloriously colorful happy ending, even for the three mice left behind, involving a rainbow of rodents living in harmony. Nedelcu’s characters’ illustrations are strong, with signifying features beyond their bright-colored fur, and they keep the dark, twisty setting from becoming overwhelming.

A fine message of hope with a charming cast of rodents.