First Class Mischief (Marty Moose #1)

Making a solo debut with this cozy chapter book series opener, Powell (Soft and Sticky) presents a lively adventure helmed by an optimistic mouse protagonist. Eager to follow in his great-aunt Ada’s footsteps, Marty Moose is excited for his first day as the new mailmouse in Little Ditch. Great-Aunt Ada once delivered 827 letters in a single morning, and Marty is determined to live up to her stellar reputation. As he embarks on his mail-delivering journey, however, Marty becomes lost in an underground rabbit warren—until handstand-doing, karate-chopping, trumpet-playing resident Nibbles Frizzby points him in the right direction. Now accompanied by the boisterous bunny, Marty continues on his way, only to come across another daunting obstacle: a house with a yard full of booby traps. Though Marty is hesitant to move forward, remembered advice from Great-Aunt Ada helps the mailmouse steel his courage: “Just because you’re small doesn’t mean you can’t be brave.” Cheeky text in varying sizes and fonts imparts mood and volume, while intricate grayscale illustrations with red highlights pepper every page. It’s a roller coaster of a book loaded with mayhem, wordplay, burps and farts, and onomatopoeia that will keep readers tuned in and laughing out loud. Ages 6–9. (Feb.)