Fourth of July Mice!

May 15, 2004
PreS-Gr. 1. This seventh rhyming book about those sweet holiday mice--among them, " Halloween Mice" (1995) and " Thanksgiving "Mice (2001)--just about gushes red, white, and blue--from the colors of the clothing the family wears to the all-American activities that form the backbone of the book. The family members (mother, father, big and little brothers) first form their own Revolutionary soldier/Betsy Ross parade. Then they picnic and play baseball. A sack race, a trip to the old swimming hole, and fireworks complete the roundup. There's even a bit of suspense early on, when the little mouse, too scared to swim, overcomes his fear to save his toy mouse. Deeply hued watercolor illustrations, full of humorous details, enhance the story; especially effective are the vibrant bursts of fireworks. A charming way to prepare for the holiday.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)

June 1, 2004
PreS-Gr 1-The same four little mice featured in other holiday books by this team are back to celebrate America's independence. The day is filled with traditional activities such as a parade, a picnic, baseball, swimming, waving sparklers, and watching fireworks. The rodents' enthusiasm and camaraderie are entertaining to follow and the rhyming text works well in the simple slice-of-life story. Clear, bright watercolors of the charming creatures fill the spreads and offer amusing details. A slight but pleasant tale about the rituals customarily observed in honoring an important day.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2004
A group of mice celebrate Independence Day with a parade, a picnic, a ball game, sack races, a dip in a pond, and, of course, sparklers and fireworks. The energetic watercolors capture the holiday spirit better than the lackluster rhyming text, whichwith lines like "Munch, munch, / crunch, crunch, crunch"relies too heavily on repeated words and onomatopoeia.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)