May 2004 ~ Book of the Month

Mother's Day Mice
by Eve Bunting

Character Trait  = Perseverance

A story for Mother's Day, for spring, for any day. Three mouse brothers, clad in bright plaid shirts and lederhosen, leave their snug cottage, intent upon finding the perfect gifts for their mother. Their early morning search is filled with dangers: a snake hidden in the thick under bush, a fox running by. However, the mice are brave, and hand-in-tail, they traipse through brush and briars to find their presents. In the end, it is Little Mouse, returning empty-handed, who has the best surprise of all: a song. The perspective is from a mouse's vantage point: toadstools and ferns seem like trees ; a ripe, juice strawberry is so big that Middle Mouse can barely carry his gift in his two arms; a dandelion fluff ball towers over Biggest Mouse. Through deft, simple lines, Brett captures the brothers' fear, their enjoyment of the sights, smells and sounds of their world and finally, their sheer delight at finding just the right gifts for their appreciative mother. The finely honed details, the soft colors, the expressions of love and sharing make this a story that is as fresh and harmonious as Little Mouse's song.