Birthday Mice!: Green Light Readers Level 1 Series

by Bethany Roberts (Illustrator), Doug Cushman (Illustrator)

Overview

A little buckaroo is turning two in this birthday book for the very young, the fifth story about the delightful holiday mice. Mischief and near disaster abound when the littlest mouse’s sister and brothers throw him a cowboy-themed party. Through simple rhymes and charming illustrations, readers witness the party preparations, the arrival of the guests, the opening of presents, and the blowing out of the candles, as well as the ensuing fulfillment of the little mouse’s fondest birthday wish: to be a cowboy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780544456068
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/07/2015
Series:	Green Light Readers
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bethany Roberts has written several popular books for children, including seven  Holiday Mice books, Monster Manners, Cat Parade, and Waiting-for-Christmas Stories. She lives in Hamden, Connecticut. Visit her website at www.bethanyroberts.com 

Doug Cushman is a veteran mystery writer for children and the illustrator of more than 100 picture books. Among his many popular books are the seven HOLIDAY MICE books, written by Bethany Roberts. He lives in Northern California and Paris.

Editorial Reviews

"Roberts and Cushman’s holiday mice return. Rhymes and a musical cadence to the text make this a lively performance piece." Kirkus Reviews —

From the Publisher

When a mouse turns two, friends and family throw a cowboy theme party in Birthday Mice!, the fifth title in the Holiday Mice series by Bethany Roberts, illus. by Doug Cushman. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

PreS-At his second birthday party, a cowboy-costumed mouse creates havoc while galloping around on his wooden horse. A gigantic balloon pops, his horse breaks, and his birthday cake is smashed. Friends save the day by substituting "cowboy vittles" (flapjacks) for the cake, and a kind squirrel offers to be the birthday mouse's "horse." This is a difficult book to read aloud; the rhyming text doesn't scan, and sometimes the rhymed word doesn't appear until pages later. Cushman's animals are personable, but twice he places the protagonist in four panels across a spread, which is bound to confuse preschoolers, who will see four separate mice. And children will wonder how, in one set of panels, a tiny pair of cowboy boots is made to fit on the mouse's enormous feet. Not a first purchase.-Eileen Sheridan, Bridgeport Public Library, CT Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Roberts and Cushman's (Christmas Mice, not reviewed, etc.) holiday mice return with a bauble for young listeners in celebration of little mouse's birthday. Little mouse is turning two and his party has a cowboy theme. The festivities are taking place in a forest clearing, spiced up with Cushman's party-colored artwork, complete with streamers and jumbo balloons and big cupcakes with candles. The action frequently gets out of hand-"Howdy, cowboy! / Whoa! Watch out! / Oh, no! / POP! POP! POP!"-but, all and all, things are very merry. Presents are unwrapped-"Cowboy boots that stomp, stomp, stomp! / The chipmunks bring a rope lasso. / Skunk gives spurs that jingle, jangle. / Perfect for a buckaroo!"-and some rousing square dancing ends with a chipmunk swung into the cake. But the friends make do, even to the point of assigning a squirrel to be the little mouse's horse. Occasional rhymes and a musical cadence to the text-with its oompah repetition of words-make this a lively performance piece, and the illustrations keep the visual stimulation on par with the words. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews