An unusual, enigmatic story about a group of moles who wear the scents of different animals to disguise themselves at a costume party.
The story begins with an explanatory note stating that moles have poor vision but an excellent sense of smell. So when a mole goes to a costume party, it wears the scent of another animal (sprayed on like perfume) as a disguise. Wonder Mole, famous for his scent costume parties, is a dapper fellow with a top hat, pinstripe fur, and glasses. The genial host affably welcomes his guests, who each wear different scents and a few items of clothing related to their chosen animal smell. A tall, bug-eyed weasel sneaks into the party as a mole with weasel scent and costume, but the critter is really hoping to eat a few moles for dinner. The weasel is recognized later by a friendly hedgehog who stops by to ask that the party noise be toned down. In an amusing, open-ended conclusion the moles all glare at the weasel, who is caught with a funny, horrified expression. This unlikely premise somehow works well, with a few hilarious plot twists and an overall droll sense of understated humor. Stylized illustrations in citrus and teal shades and an oversized format bring the mole party to life.
An odd but successful story with a sly sense of humor.
(Picture book. 5-9)