In Mouse’s third holiday adventure (after Cinco de Mouse-o and One Is a Feast for Mouse), he hitches a ride in a trick-or-treat bag, but gets motion sickness and finds shelter from a storm in a (maybe) haunted house. Ebbeler fills his acrylic spreads with angular, mouse-eye perspectives and whimsical costumes that will tickle readers’ imaginations. Mouse, with his Rachel Maddow–style eyeglasses, striped shirt, and oversize ears, is a charming guide to this richly detailed world. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

“Cox keeps readers turning the pages with fast-paced action in her descriptive text.”

“Ebbeler’s acrylic paintings do a wonderful job of conveying the little rodent’s emotions throughout the story.”

10/01/2016
PreS-Gr 3—It's Halloween night, and when Mouse sees costumed kids ringing doorbells and receiving candy, he decides to go after some treats, too. He jumps into a paper trick-or-treat bag and has his fill of lollipops, chocolate bars, and sour balls before nibbling a hole in the bag so he can see where the children are heading next. When an unexpected thunderstorm sends Mouse running for cover, he scampers into an old, abandoned house. At every turn, he hears rattling bones and muffled noises and sees pale, floating shapes. Mouse isn't scared, though. In the shimmery moonlight, he realizes the sounds are coming from wind chimes and a croaking frog and the shapes are fluttering curtains. Following a trail of candy that leaked from his bag, Mouse returns home to have a Halloween party of his own. Eerie instrumental background music sets the tone for this holiday story by Judy Cox, and the well-paced narration is enhanced by the additional sounds of creaky doors, rumbling thunder, and pouring rain. The muted colors of the acrylic illustrations are perfect for an autumn tale, and the darker colored scenes are especially fitting when Mouse enters the haunted house. VERDICT This production will be perfect for early elementary school viewers in search of a sweet, not scary Halloween adventure.—Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA

K-Gr 2—When the doorbell rings on Halloween night, Mouse's curiosity is piqued as he sees some costumed kids receiving candy. He jumps into one of the candy-laden trick-or-treat bags and gnaws a small hole so he can see what is happening, but he quickly gets motion sickness and leaves the bag behind. A rainstorm drives him into an abandoned house. At first a little frightened by what he sees, Mouse yells, "Boo!" to show that he's not afraid. Luckily, the moonlight shines into the room and shows that everything making noise or strange shadows is harmless. Remember that hole Mouse gnawed in the bag? Conveniently, pieces of candy were falling out one by one and he is able to follow the trail back to his own hidey-hole. (Hansel and Gretel would be proud.) Ebbeler's acrylic paintings do a wonderful job of conveying the little rodent's emotions throughout the story. The colors help to set the tone, especially in the house, where the illustrations are mostly sepia and black, making it seem just as creepy for children as it is for Mouse until the moonlight shines and the objects are revealed. While a bit predictable, the story does provide an acceptable supplemental Halloween adventure.—Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN

Those charmed by Mouse's previous adventures inOne is a Feast for Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale(2009) andCinco de Mouse-O!(2010) should prepare for gasps and giggles as he struggles through a series of (somewhat) unfortunate events.

After peeking from his "hidey-hole," Mouse ventures out to make the most of a trick-or-treater's dropped bag. He crawls into it, finding "more candy than Mouse had ever seen"—but he is whisked off while still inside. After being carried, swinging and swaying, around the neighborhood, the sack is dropped again, and disoriented Mouse finds himself caught in a serious downpour. Seeking shelter, he scampers into an abandoned house. Is it haunted? No, but heislost, far from his home. In a sweet turn, candy literally saves the night. Mouse spies "a cherry lollipop shining in the moonlight," one of many pieces of Halloween loot that make a trail he can follow all the way home. Cox keeps readers turning pages with fast-paced action in her descriptive text. Ebbeler contributes plenty for the eye to feast upon in his bountiful acrylic-on-paper scenes. Readers will delight in the cast of costumed characters populating the pages and get a true feel for Mouse's perspective in both exciting and slightly dire situations.

Consider this a Halloween treat for children ready for longer, more visually complex picture-book fare.(Picture book. 4-7)