Miss Mousie's Blind Date

Gr 2–4—Rhyming verse follows the absurd tale of Miss Mousie, who, while at the local deli, becomes infatuated with a rude rat (he calls her fat), ruining her day and making her take to her bed in tears. An anonymous invitation to a date perks her up, and, still feeling fat and unattractive, she dolls herself up in a bizarre ensemble and heads off to meet her suitor. He turns out to be none other than the owner of the deli, a mole who eschews his glasses to make himself more attractive. Between Mousie's ridiculous attire and the mole's inability to see, the date turns quite silly, and, in the end, both agree to be themselves. The watercolor and gouache illustrations, with animals dressed in sumptuous clothing, are whimsical and reminiscent of the work of John Goodall. The text is amusing, but some discussion may be needed to remind students that name-calling can have unfortunate consequences.—Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI