Brave Mouse - Softcover

Pat Morgan is an experienced freelance author and consultant, writing mostly children's nonfiction books on natural history, environment, the sciences, and geography. She has written more than 250 titles to date and lives in London.Michelle Cartlidge was born in London. She became a student at both Hornsey College of Art and the Royal College of Art studying Ceramics. Her first book, Pippen and Pod won the Mother Goose Award. Her Teddy Trucks books were made into a BBC TV cartoon series.

PreS-K. Little Mouse is scared of everything: babysitters, dark bedrooms, swimming pools. He is equally spooked by loud noises and silence. His initial tendency is to give in to his fears, but, after bucking himself up with little rhymes that say he's a "brave, brave mouse," he's able to takes steps to assert himself. Little Mouse knows there are lots of frightening things awaiting him at the playground. The children exhort him to go on the equipment; if he doesn't, he'll be a "scaredy-mouse." He must make a decision, and so, after thinking about it carefully, he decides to forgo swings and slides--and ride the bouncing duck instead. Encouraging children while giving them permission not to be cajoled into exceeding their personal comfort zone is a powerful message. The ink-and watercolor illustrations are a counterpoint, simply executed in a childlike manner that makes use of a pastel palette. There's a place for this one in every preschool and kindergarten library. Ilene Cooper
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