Fiction - Animals - General & Miscellaneous, Fiction - Animals - Mammals, Animals - Fiction, Fiction - Emotions & Behaviors, Fiction - Family Life

Come Out and Play, Little Mouse

Name: Come Out and Play, Little Mouse
Author: Robert Kraus
ISBN: 9780688140267

by Robert Kraus, Ariane Dewey (Illustrator), Jose Aruego

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Overview

When little mouse accepts the cat's invitation to play, he doesn't know what kind of game the cat really has in mind. "A splendid picture book with brilliantly colored and expressive illustrations, funny and exciting."—Horn Book.

Big Brother saves Little Mouse from a cat's treacherous invitation to come out and play.

Synopsis

Publishers Weekly

Like last year's Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?, this well-designed book is in vivid color, with humorously detailed illustrations. On Monday, a wily cat says to Little Mouse, ``Come out and play.'' The mouse replies: ``I can't play today . . . ask me tomorrow.'' The cat asks daily, and Little Mouse begs off daily, with good excuses each timeshopping, painting, laundry, homework, cleaning. On Saturday, Baby Mouse responds to his request, ``My big brother's busy, but I'll play with you.'' Just as readers may have suspected, that cat has definite plans, and it looks as if he'll get his way, until a dog appears! A surprising revelationand all's well that end's well. Exciting yet reassuring fare by a talented trio. Ages 3-6. (April)

About the Author, Robert Kraus

Robert Kraus is the author of Little Louie the Baby Bloomer and Leo the Late Bloomer, illustrated by Jose Aruego, and the author and illustrator of dozens of books for children.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2 Big brother mouse evades the cat's invitations to ``come out and play.'' Monday through Friday, he helps shop, paint, wash, and so on. On Saturday, little mouse ingenuously accepts, and is rescued by big brother in dog disguise. Each day's action is introduced: ``Monday /Come out and play, little mouse.'' ``Tuesday /Come out and play, little mouse.'' The resulting jagged rhythm is broken when little mouse engages in cat-and-mouse, but action and rhythm come to a sudden conclusion on Sunday, when the mice can't play because, ``We're playing with our family.'' The plot is unresolved after a week of avoidance because the mice don't confront the cat or suggest that they will never play with him. Illustrations are vivid and busy; garish orange and red mark the sly advances of a leering cat. The landscape evokes recollections of Whose Mouse Are You? (Macmillan, 1970) and the family is familiar. However, in contrast to the simplicity and completeness of its predecessor, this title is frantic, pat, and unsatisfying. Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, Mass.