The Mother's Day Mice

by Eve Bunting, Jan Brett (Illustrator)

Overview

It's Mother's Day, and the three mouse brothers, Biggest, Middle, and Little, have only a short time to get their presents.

Biggest Mouse, Middle Mouse, and Little Mouse all want to surprise Mother on Mother's Day. But can these playful mice pick the best presents all by themselves without getting into a whole lot of trouble?

A charming celebration of Mother's Day, this is the perfect gift to share with someone special.

“Bring her a daisy,” Biggest Mouse said over his shoulder.  “Bring her a rock,” Middle Mouse puffed.  “They’re nice,” Little Mouse said. “But they’re not special enough for this special day.”   

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780899197029
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/18/1988
Series:	Holiday Classics
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

With more than thirty million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation’s foremost author/illustrators of children’s books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Brett's illustrations capture the awakening of nature on a warm spring morning, as well as the love shared by a mother and her sons." SLJ Best Books of the Year

Editorial Reviews

"Brett's illustrations capture the awakening of nature on a warm spring morning, as well as the love shared by a mother and her sons." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

This third in a series of holiday books is a sweet story about the true meaning of Mother's Day, highlighted by Brett's lush pictures. Early in the morning, three young miceBiggest, Middle and Littleset off to find Mother's Day presents. Biggest has chosen a ``wish'' flower, Middle a strawberry and Little would like to bring home some honeysuckle. But Catstarkly portrayed from a mouse's point of viewstands in the way of the honeysuckle, and Little Mouse must head home without his present. On the way, he finds a new gift, one that can be shared by the whole family. While Bunting's story is simple and appealing, it is Brett's richly detailed illustrations that raise this book above the level of ordinary holiday fare. A treat not just for Mother's Day. (58)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

PreS-Gr 2 A story for Mother's Day, for spring, for any day. Three mouse brothers, clad in bright plaid shirts and lederhosen, leave their snug cottage, intent upon finding the perfect gifts for their mother. Their early morning search is filled with dangers: a snake hidden in the thick underbush, a fox running by. However, the mice are brave, and hand-in-tail, they traipse through brush and briars to find their presents. In the end, it is Little Mouse, returning empty-handed, who has the best surprise of all: a song. The perspective is from a mouse's vantage point: toadstools and ferns seem like trees; a ripe, juicy strawberry is so big that Middle Mouse can barely carry his gift in his two arms; a dandelion fluff ball towers over Biggest Mouse. Through deft, simple lines, Brett captures the brothers' fear, their enjoyment of the sights, smells and sounds of their world and finally, their sheer delight at finding just the right gifts for their appreciative mother. The finely honed details, the soft colors, the expressions of love and sharing make this a story that is as fresh and harmonious as Little Mouse's song. Trev Jones, ``School Library Journal''

School Library Journal