Where's Mommy? (Mary and the Mouse)

BEVERLY DONOFRIO is the author of the adult titles Riding in Cars with Boys and Looking for Mary, as well as the coauthor of Mafia Marriage. The picture book Mary and the Mouse received two starred reviews. Ms. Donofrio is also the author of a middle-grade novel, Thank You, Lucky Stars.

BARBARA McCLINTOCK is the author and illustrator of many highly acclaimed books for children, including Cinderella, a Golden Kite Honor Book; Dahlia, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book and a Child Magazine Best Kids' Book of the Year; and Adele & Simon, which received two starred reviews and was named an ALA Notable Book. She is also the illustrator of The Gingerbread Man by Jim Ayelsworth, among others.

K-Gr 2—Maria and a young mouse are secret friends living parallel lives in a sprawling home. Everything Maria does with her human family, Mouse Mouse does with her family, who live below the floorboards. But the child knows that if she tells her parents about Mouse Mouse, they will get a cat to get rid of the mice, and Mouse Mouse knows that if she lets her parents know that she's friends with Maria, they will flee to a hole in the ground. One night, both mothers disappear. After a search of the house, the girls are surprised to find their mothers chatting like old friends in the shed. The story is charming in its simplicity, but it's the detailed pen and ink and watercolor illustrations showcasing the little details of suburban living that set this book apart. From the pictures on the wall and the toys scattered in the yard to the games and books in the living room, these images have plenty to offer, and readers will enjoy the rewards of looking at the pictures again and again.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA