Chalk and Cheese

From the illustrator of Rise and Shine and Jesus Loves Me comes the tale of a limitless friendship between a New York City dog and an English country mouse.

Children's Literature

In this hip contemporary version of the country mouse and city mouse, Chalk is a New York City dog while Cheese is a English country mouse who crosses the pond to try out the wonders of the Big Apple. While they seem to have different taste about favorite foods and the pace of life, they do agree on some things, including their friendship. Warnes's illustrations are done very much in the style of a graphic novel, with the narrative filled out with speech balloons. That is just one feature that makes this a little too sophisticated for a kindergarten read-aloud; however, third graders who are doing a unit on different versions of folktales and fables might find it an especially fun option to compare with Aesop. One cultural note: many Americans may not be familiar with the English expression "They go together like chalk and cheese"—that is, they are not at all alike. Reviewer: Mary Hynes-Berry

Tim Warnes (Papa Bear) has his home in the countryside of Dorset, England, with his wife, illustrator Jane Chapman (Mama Bear), and their son, Noah (Little Bear). When asked how he felt about illustrating this book, Tim says, "My Christian faith is central to my life, so I jumped at the challenge to illustrate Jesus Loves Me! -- what a great way to use the gift God gave me!" Tim has drawn closely on his own experiences to give us a pictorial celebration of family life, and to share God's love for all of us. The hens you see in the pictures are from Tim's very own backyard.

With over forty picture books currently in print, award-winning illustrator Tim Warnes has been published in more than twenty countries. This is his first book with Simon & Schuster.