Wonder Mole's Scent Costume Party

by Pato Mena

Overview

Also available in Spanish as La gran fiesta de los olores

The Perfect Siesta author Pato Mena will make you laugh with this new wacky story!

“Wait… A costume party thrown by a mole?! But they can’t see!”, you may say.
Yet Wonder Mole throws legendary costume parties. You wanna know how? Have you ever wondered how do moles manage to dress up for costume parties? The answer is… SCENT COSTUMES!
However, this also entrails some risks. Say, for example, if a sneaky weasel would sneak into the party…!
Find out how this uproar of a party ends!

Fabulous illustrations, in bright, warm colors, complement this funny story. This Chilean author/illustrator bears watching! ~Youth Services Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788417123987
Publisher:	NubeOcho
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Series:	Somos8 Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	11.50(w) x 9.75(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Pato Mena is a young author and illustrator from Chile residing in Barcelona. His books have been published in Chile, Spain, Korea, and China. On two occasions, he has been awarded creative grants by the government of Chile. The Perfect Siesta, published in the United States by NubeOcho both in English and in Spanish, is a huge success and has received the Junior Library Guild Selection.

Editorial Reviews

A unique and fun idea with playful illustrations that children will love. I wonder how many children will be familiar with moles and weasels, or if they’ll be taken out of the story to ask questions about the animals. In any case, I really enjoyed the concept and look forward to many more books from Pato Mena.—Netgalley-Reviewer

From the Publisher

10/07/2019

PreS-Gr 2-Wonder Mole is having a scent costume party, but one attendee perhaps shouldn't be there. As the author explains, moles can barely see; instead they have developed a keen sense of smell. So when they go to a costume party, they don't get dressed up in a costume their mole friends can't see. They wear a costume that smells instead. Wearing a dapper striped outfit and top hat, Wonder Mole welcomes his guests. As each guest arrives, Wonder Mole recognizes the scents they have disguised themselves with—jaguar, horse, frog, fox, crocodile—and makes a nice comment of each. When a real weasel arrives, Wonder Mole and the other guests are very complimentary. His weasel scent "is surprisingly realistic." Little do they know that Weasel is planning to "have two fat moles for dinner." At this point the author toys with readers, keeping the suspense high. Will Weasel be discovered in time? When a police inspector arrives, a series of hopeful scenes occur, marked by lively illustrations and big, bold typeface. Yet the miscreant is not found out. The book ends as Weasel is finally revealed and all the guests are looking at him. The text says nothing; it is up to children to react to the open-ended finale. First written in Spanish, the English translation remains true to the original. VERDICT Quirky, inventive, and funny, this story is perfect for storytime sharing.-Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ

School Library Journal

2019-07-14
An unusual, enigmatic story about a group of moles who wear the scents of different animals to disguise themselves at a costume party.

The story begins with an explanatory note stating that moles have poor vision but an excellent sense of smell. So when a mole goes to a costume party, it wears the scent of another animal (sprayed on like perfume) as a disguise. Wonder Mole, famous for his scent costume parties, is a dapper fellow with a top hat, pinstripe fur, and glasses. The genial host affably welcomes his guests, who each wear different scents and a few items of clothing related to their chosen animal smell. A tall, bug-eyed weasel sneaks into the party as a mole with weasel scent and costume, but the critter is really hoping to eat a few moles for dinner. The weasel is recognized later by a friendly hedgehog who stops by to ask that the party noise be toned down. In an amusing, open-ended conclusion the moles all glare at the weasel, who is caught with a funny, horrified expression. This unlikely premise somehow works well, with a few hilarious plot twists and an overall droll sense of understated humor. Stylized illustrations in citrus and teal shades and an oversized format bring the mole party to life.

An odd but successful story with a sly sense of humor. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews

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