A Day with Mousse

PreS-Gr 2–Mousse is a fantastical green-and-white striped creature whose wardrobe decisions entail choosing his daily pair of socks. All of his other rituals are similarly predictable, like savoring early morning on the beach and slowly sipping his coffee as the rising tide fills his home. This is hardly a problem for Mousse, who goes for a swim in his living room and delights in the sea treasures left behind. In fact, his business is to mail boxes of these treasures to those who don’t have the luxury of living near the sea. But Mousse’s daily life is interrupted when an uninvited walrus named J.P. Barnacle enters his house and takes up residence, challenging the reclusive Mousse to include a new someone in his life. Readers will enjoy spotting Barnacle, who appears in the softly hued illustrations sometimes unbeknown to Mousse, and they’ll laugh at the end when Barnacle isn’t the only creature now sharing Mousse’s bed. This charming fantasy is suitable for reading independently or as a read-aloud.