Paper Mice
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
“Perfect for storytime, and with so much to explore on each page, a one-on-one read is also a must.” —School Library Journal
“A sweet depiction of companionship and creature comforts.” —Publishers Weekly
It’s the middle of the night, and two paper mice find adventure—and each other—as they explore their new home in this beautifully written, stunningly illustrated story of friendship.
With a snip and a clip, two paper mice are made. They are given names: Della and Ralph. Each alone, they explore their new house in the dark. Della dashes up the stairs; Ralph skitters through the dining room. There is so much to see and so much to discover!
But a big, dark house can be scary for those so small, until they find…each other.
Beautiful, cut-paper illustrations bring to life this lyrical story of adventure and friendship.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"With a snip and a clip,/ and a clip and a snip" an elderly woman and a girl craft two paper mice from a security-lined envelope and a sheet of white paper. The mice, christened Ralph and Della, are "placed between the pages/ of two books, pressed flat, and put away." After the house settles into sleep, the mice awaken from their literary slumber and, each unaware of the other, explore the quiet house, dashing across piano keys, investigating the pantry, and, just like Hunca Munca before them, discovering a perfectly sized dollhouse. It's only when Della spots Ralph drying himself in front of the fireplace's embers and saves him from an errant spark that the mice truly begin to enjoy their nocturnal adventures: "Out into the darkness they'd each ventured alone / and found true comfort: a friend." Wahl creates a comfortably cluttered domicile and a visually engaging nighttime playground in layered illustrations populated with patterned textures and cozy details clothes dry near the fireplace, and a well-stocked pantry promises fulfillment. Quiet and unpretentious, this simple story of charmed mice offers a sweet depiction of companionship and creature comforts. Ages 4 8.
