Dog and Mouse
Michelle Nelson-Schmidt. EDC/Kane Miller, $12.99 (36p) ISBN 978-1-61067-352-5
In a lackluster story of unexpected friendship, a yellow dog searches the woods for a best friend. A gray mouse offers her assistance, and the two spend several seasons trying to find Dog’s perfect friend, not realizing until the final pages that it is Mouse. Nelson-Schmidt’s bold, blocky images, a mix of large single frames and panel sequences, quietly convey the gentle togetherness of a friendship that doesn’t know it is one. Unfortunately, Nelson-Schmidt’s rhymes are often repetitive, convoluted, and strained (“Mouse loved to help. She was just thrilled./ Helping was her favorite and very best skill!”), saddling the story with a slow pace and heavy-handed message. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)
Details
Reviewed on: 07/06/2015
Genre: Children's
Hardcover - 36 pages - 978-1-952013-42-3
Other - 978-1-61067-314-3
Paperback - 36 pages - 978-1-952013-16-4