BUSY, BUSY MOUSE
by Virginia Kroll & illustrated by Fumi Kosaka
The nighttime rituals of their resident mouse parallel a young family’s daily routine. A little girl fries eggs with dad, plays with baby brother, spends the afternoon drawing—she’s busy all day. Meanwhile, mouse has a bedtime snack, reads awhile, changes into pajamas, and brushes teeth before settling into bed. As nighttime approaches for the little girl, mouse awakens and gets ready for his busy day, dressing while the family undresses, cooking pancakes while teeth are brushed, exercising while the little girl beds down, and having a free run of the house while everyone else is asleep for the night. The very simple rhyming text of four to six words per page succinctly establishes a pleasant comforting mood with just the right mild, mischievous spirit portrayed by the little girl’s alternate personality of the mouse. Kosaka’s large, bold, rounded characters in bright pastel/crayon shades add to the clarity of the story with alternating scenes of the family and mouse activities. Effortless toddler storytime material. (Picture book. Toddler-3)