October 1, 2012
Like a bizarre cross between Beatrix Potter and Ugly Betty, this tale of romance from the team behind Bradley McGogg: The Very Fine Frog involves adorably dressed characters and some crass sentiments. Dowdy Miss Mousie is lovestruck when she spies Matt Labatt the rat in the deli, but he’s a cad. “Hey, Mole,” he says to the deli owner after Miss Mousie coyly drops her handkerchief, “tell that fat girl by the door/ to pick her hankie up.” Miss Mousie is devastated, but her hopes spring anew when she receives a mystery invitation. She disguises herself, hoping to appear exotic rather than banal; the mystery date turns out to be the deli-owning mole, who’s as insecure as she is—cue the happily-ever-after theme music. Berman draws Miss Mousie’s long gowns and dainty furnishings with tender care, and Beiser never cheats on rhyme or meter. But the story gets its biggest laughs from making fun of Miss Mousie’s weight and the mole’s poor eyesight—far from a compassionate portrait of disability, it’s an inexplicable lapse in judgment. Ages 3–6.
Starred review from October 1, 2012
Spring fever strikes even the rodents. And who knows where the heart leads? "Spring is such a funny thing--it wakes up all the plants / And makes our furry woodland friends go cuckoo for romance." Indeed. One day, when Miss Mousie is shopping at the mole's deli, her heart stops at the sight of rakish Matt LaBatt (the water rat), who looks suave (and tres Francais) in striped shirt and kerchief. She can barely speak...or squeak. "Her little legs went weak." When she drops her hankie to catch his attention, Matt calls her fat, which brings tears to her eyes and sends her to bed for a day. What brings her out of sadness is an anonymous invitation to dinner; of course she knows just who it is! She dresses to the nines, and all the animals applaud her as she walks excitedly to her date. But the would-be suitor is not Matt the water rat; it's the kind mole who owns the deli. He tries all manner of slick techniques to woo her, and they fall comically flat. But in the end, he pledges to be himself if she will do the same. Her reply? "Oui-oui." Beiser's sprightly text has warmth, heart and a valuable lesson. Berman's pictures, in watercolor and gouache on rag, suggest Beatrix Potter, ably matching the crisp elegance of the story. Wonderful. (Picture book. 5-8)
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February 1, 2013
Gr 2-4-Rhyming verse follows the absurd tale of Miss Mousie, who, while at the local deli, becomes infatuated with a rude rat (he calls her fat), ruining her day and making her take to her bed in tears. An anonymous invitation to a date perks her up, and, still feeling fat and unattractive, she dolls herself up in a bizarre ensemble and heads off to meet her suitor. He turns out to be none other than the owner of the deli, a mole who eschews his glasses to make himself more attractive. Between Mousie's ridiculous attire and the mole's inability to see, the date turns quite silly, and, in the end, both agree to be themselves. The watercolor and gouache illustrations, with animals dressed in sumptuous clothing, are whimsical and reminiscent of the work of John Goodall. The text is amusing, but some discussion may be needed to remind students that name-calling can have unfortunate consequences.-Sharon Grover, Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI
Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 15, 2012
Grades K-2 Love is in the air one spring day at the local deli when Miss Mousie notices a guy that makes her weak in the knees. Matt LaBatt, the water rat, / was such a handsome fellow! / His fur was black. His eyes were red. / His teeth were lemon yellow. Miss Mousie attempts flirting until Matt calls her fat. The despondent rodent hides away until she receives an invitation for a mystery date. Trying to avoid more rejection, she decides to go in disguise, but after trudging through thistles, brambles, and rain, she arrives disheveled instead. Her appearance goes unnoticed by her mystery man, the tubby deli-owner mole, who, also putting vanity first, has not worn his spectacles. Over coffee and souffle, the pair agrees to be true to themselves. The text surrounds delicate watercolor and gouache paintings reminiscent of Beatrix Potter, which add plenty of charm to this winsome rhyming tale. Pair with Carmen Agra Deedy's Martina the Beautiful Cockroach (2007) for another lesson in true love from wise animals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2013
An insult crushes Miss Mousie's confidence and provokes her to wear a disguise on a "mystery date." When her date also hesitates to show his true colors, they "call a truce" and decide to be themselves. The rhyming text is as peppy as the characters are charming in this story of love and self-acceptance. Berman's muted, old-fashioned-looking watercolors are softly detailed.
(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)