The Mouse That Jack Built

Szekeres (Cyndy Szekeres' Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes) again shapes her own fresh variation on a classic, by putting a wintertime spin on a familiar cumulative verse. Her Jack, an amiable young rabbit who smiles with his entire face--even while sleeping--assembles a snow mouse (""This is the raisin, used for the nose, on the face of the mouse that Jack built""). The cheerful little guy uses ""his hat, all ragged and worn, along with his scarf, all tattered and torn"" to dress up his new pal. But Mama determinedly returns the woolens to her son's head and neck--until she can finish knitting Jack a new set. Szekeres paints irrepressibly adorable critters: as Jack puts the finishing touches on his snow mouse, two tiny mice bundled up in their own snow gear surround it with 10 diminutive snow bunnies. With a hand-sized square trim and low cover price, this warm read-aloud will make a cool stocking stuffer. Ages 3-6. (Nov.)