Cheer Up, Mouse!

by Jed Henry

Mouse feels lower than low. His forest friends, including Badger, Hedgehog, Rabbit, and Mole all knock themselves out trying to cheer up the little guy, to no avail. In the end, all Mouse really needs is a hug! Jed Henry’s wonderful illustrations, in watercolor pastels and colored pencils, beautifully complement the spare text. Readers will love seeing all the exuberant animal antics in trees, ponds, and even underground tunnels as they try to distract their gloomy friend. A charming antidote for the blues.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Friendship, Childrens, Storytime, Fantasy, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 2013

About the author

Jed Henry has illustrated several children’s books. This is his first with Candlewick Press. He lives in Utah.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful animal illustrations, Absolutely love that mole. Story goes on a little bit longer than necessary to underline the point, but the wordless ending is touching.

[Layla & Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's start this out in a positive note - the illustrations in Jed Henry's Cheer Up, Mouse! are just delightful. We want to rip the pages out and frame them for Layla's room.

We suppose if Layla was an older child who could read by herself that this book would have received more stars. But alas, she's only one and a half and cannot read. As a read-aloud for a little girl, this book flopped. We totally didn't even get from the illustrations that mouse was that sad. There were illustrations of animals standing over mouse, with mouse looking up at them and then the words How are we going to make Mouse smile? "Oh," we thought to ourselves, "Is mouse sad?" And everything went down hill from there. Mouse never looked that sad - just a bit stoic. Maybe he was busy contemplating his life. Maybe he was trying to figure out what he was going to have for dinner. Maybe he was questioning his friendship with these animals that were going to suddenly throw him in the lake (Splash and paddle, wash and wade- Cheer up, Mouse!).

Like we said, this book is probably great for an older kid. But we don't care about those kids. There are a lot of pages that have no words and it was hard for us to figure out what exactly this story was about. Other than maybe animals torturing a poor mouse in order to make him smile. Not a read-aloud title.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse's friends try what they all know best to cheer him up, but when nothing works they get back to the basics with a good old fashioned hug.

FABULOUS artwork is created with watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, and finished digitally. The wordless spreads are very effective at conveying the thoughts and emotions of the animals.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times when everyone just needs a hug. A cheerful, comforting story about empathy.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely and inviting art lends to a nice story about what it means to be a friend and the value of a simple hug. Tankard's Grumpy Bird meets Wilson/Chapman's Bear books.

[Lynda Shoup]

Lovely illustrations make this book a joy to look at, but the real power is in teaching compassion and how to support a friend who is feeling down. Great addition to the 200 shelf.

[Sunah Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mouse is feeling depressed. Other animals make their efforts to cheer up the mouse by letting it fly like a bird, splash and puddle like a frog, and climb like a squirrel. None of the efforts could cheer the mouse up except the one small gesture of a hug.

When someone is feeling under the weather, the best thing we could offer would be warm hug without saying a word. All the mouse needed in this story was a heartfelt hug. The illustrations greatly represent the discouraged feeling of the mouse. For instance, on the first page that contains dedication and information of the book such as copyrights, a publisher, and ISBN, the mouse was looking down holding his hands in the middle while other animals were dancing and smiling around the mouse. When I started to read this book, I did not notice the little squirrel on this page. But after reading the book, I could see that the little squirrel was looking at the mouse without cheering and dancing like the other animals. The little squirrel was the one who gave a warm hug to the mouse without saying a word at the end of the page.

After the dedication page, the illustrations distinctively showed the isolation or bad feelings of the mouse by juxtaposing the position of the animals. That is, the rest of the animals were on the left side of the frame smiling and looking at the mouse while the mouse was on the right side and was looking at the rest of the animals. Once again the impression of the little squirrel on the left page caught my eyes. The little squirrel noticed the mouse’s feeling is blue. After a series of efforts by animals who try to cheer the mouse up, the mouse was still feeling bad. The illustrations well represent the emotions by posing the mouse and the rest of the animals. The mouse does not face the rest of the animals. The mouse’s back is turned on them.

At the end of the page, readers could finally read the smiling faces of the mouse and the squirrel after the hug. I loved the ways the illustrator expresses the feelings of the animals by using spaces and positions of the animals. Instead of the text, the illustrations tell a lot of stories. In addition to the values of hug rather than a thousand words is shown, I want to appreciate other animals’ efforts to cheer up the mouse even though the primary focus of this story is on the little squirrel who is thoughtful and considerate to its friend, mouse. Other animals cheer up the mouse in their best ways. Birds would feel good and better when they fly. Thus they must suggest their best moves to cheer up mouse. Other animals try to dance and smile to the mouse to make his depressed mood lighter. Although it was not helpful to make the mouse feel better, at least the other animals take care of their friend, the mouse.

[Zach Stp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheer Up, Mouse! is a 2014 Children's Choice winner. This is a very educational book for students pre-school through 2nd grade. Not only is it good for children just learning how to read but it also shows children different animals. Throughout this story different animals are introduced and we are shown their habitats through illustrations. the illustrations are beautifully drawn and bright to keep your attention going throughout the whole story. This book shows children the importance of friendship and how doing even the smallest thing for someone can change their whole mood and day.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is billed as "A charming antidote for the blues."

CHARMING? SURE. ANTIDOTE? NO.

As an adult reader of kids' picture books, I'd call this one an exercise in "Mood Making." (A kind of spiritual side trip that I cautioned against in "Seeking Enlightenment in the Age of Awakening.")

That said, it's still an adorable book.

Jed Henry’s wonderful illustrations, in watercolor pastels and colored pencils, convey most of the talking. While the words, which are few, are the equivalent of a hug from the author.

It's a sweet book. With an unmistakably happy ending.

[Gabriella Petrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Cheer Up, Mouse!" by Jed Henry is a beautiful book with amazing illustrations about a story a group of animals trying to cheer up Mouse. No matter what these animals do for the mouse, the mouse doesn't cheer up. Its a beautiful story for children to witness the outcome in the end. It was a very sweet story that warmed my heat when the Mouse finally came around.

[Katrina Clohessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animals try to cheer up a mouse by doing things that make them happy, but all the mouse really needs in the end is a hug. Several pages are wordless. Cute illustrations & repetition of one line throughout.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mouse is in a funk, all of his forest friends try to lift his spirits. Nothing that they do seems to help mouse, but then the one action that no one else thought of from chipmunk brings mouse's spirits up.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used for a book analysis in my children’s literature class so cute🥹. I wrote about the story containing lessons on friendship, social cues, and how sometimes you might just need a hug 🫶. Illustrations were also very cute!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is sweet and funny from start to finish. Amazing illustrations.
All mouse's friends try to cheer him up, but it's chipmunk who finds the very thing that helps the most.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story of animal friends trying to cheer up a melancholy mouse. Beautiful pictures.

[Kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel bad for mouse.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story-line with great illustrations. Good for smaller children.

[Tym · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of the animals of the forest try to cheer up mouse in their own way but nothing seems to be working. A very cute story with excellent artwork and charming creature designs

[Kaitlin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes all we need is a hug! Great story about all of Mouse's friends trying to cheer him up, but he still doesn't seem to fit in—until Chipmunk gives Mouse exactly what he needs!

[Joella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this particular book starts the story on the title page. In fact, the first part of the story on the title page and the verso page is important even though there isn’t any text that is part of the actual story. Mouse is sad and the other animals are worried (this is what we learn on the title page). Almost all of them try doing something to cheer up Mouse (this is what we see on the verso page). But no, Mouse is still sad. Then one by one all of the animals start trying to do things a little more extreme to cheer up Mouse. For example crow “picks him up” by flying him as high as the trees. All of these extreme bits of love and support don’t help Mouse cheer up. But there is one animal who is more observant in noticing what Mouse needs…a hug!

Readers will enjoy the bright illustrations and the fun characterizations of the forest animals. And observant readers will enjoy looking at the chipmunk to see what he is doing while the rest force their extreme antics on a gloomy Mouse. Yet at the end everyone realizes that sometimes a hug is the best medicine for helping someone feel better. And, since the “cheer up, Mouse!” part is repeated over and over again, this might be a fun book to read with a story time group who is ready to “Cheer up, Mouse!”

[Sarah Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheer Up Mouse! is a charming tale of how all of Mouse’s friends come together to try and cheer up mouse. Each character takes a turn at trying to cheer up Mouse by doing things that that animal loves to do. In the end the thing that cheers up Mouse is getting a hug from Chipmunk and then a group hug from all of his friends. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and were created by using watercolors, pastels, colored pencils and digitally. The illustrations are phenomenal and extremely detailed. Which is why I believe it should win the Caldecott Award for 2013.

This story would be a great read aloud for kindergarten through 2nd grade. It would be excellent for a lesson on manners and how to treat people. This charming story gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from this reader!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite his animal friends' best efforts, nothing can cheer up poor Mouse. His friends try all sorts of things such as lifting him into the air, bouncing him on a tablecloth, even rolling him around, but nothing seems to help. Finally, he gets a hug from one furry friend, and his despondency seems to disappear. Readers never find out the source of his misery, but the book's message is clear. Sometimes it helps just to know someone cares enough to share a tender touch. The illustrations, created with watercolors, pastels, and colored pencils, are filled with much movement from the animals as well as puzzled looks as they try to determine what is bothering Mouse. His body language speaks volumes as he travels across the book's pages. The last page, filled with celebration, at Mouse's improved spirits, simply bursts with joy from all his friends.

[Allison Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a friend's down in the dumps (and you're not), all efforts to snap them out of their funk are usually frustrating. Here, the forest animals each take a turn to cheer up their friend Mouse, and each fails in the same way. Bird takes him on a flying trip; Frog escorts him to the pond. Mole shoves him into some earthy tunnels; Hedgehog rolls him down a hill. The reader sees the problem right away: what makes one happy doesn't always translates to another. Only the sympathetic Chipmunk knows what to do: a simple hug finally cheers Mouse up. Anyone who has experienced sadness knows it isn't easily brushed away by distractions and fun. Sometimes the best thing a friend can do is set aside his own good mood, even for a moment, and share your heartache in a hug.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Mouse's animal friends take turns trying to cheer him up, but nothing seems to work until Chipmunk gently offers what is needed--a hug.

These are the cutest little animals you ever did see. Just adorable, all of them, and poor Mouse, he really does look sad. Each animal takes Mouse off on a brief mini-adventure, doing things they like to do, and boy, are there some fabulous alliterative action verbs here: flap and flutter, dip and dive, skip and skitter, climb and clamber, chirp and whistle, pipe and hum, and so many more. Just fantastic vocabulary, and wouldn't it be fun to have little ones mimic each action verb after we've read through it? It would be loud, but it would be fun!

[Ina · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the beautifully illustrated animals in the forrest, including a variety of birds, a badger, rabbit, hedgehog and musical squirrel try to cheer up little mouse. Even though each animal shares their favorite activity sure to make him smile, nothing works. Until a little chipmunk makes a simple gesture - gives mouse a hug - and finally makes mouse smile. The illustrations in this book are wonderful and sure to make even the grumpiest reader smile....but the simple text did not seem to match the quality of the drawings. This just arrived at my library....it doesn't really beg me to read it for story time...

[Haizelbear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a mouse who doesn't feel very good. All his friends in the forest try to cheer him up by encouraging him do what they like, but nothing seems to help. In the end, a chipmunk gives the mouse a hug, and makes him smile. The illustrations are done in watercolor, pastel, and colored pencils. I would use this book to teach that doing something you like to try and cheer someone else up isn't always going to work, sometimes all they need is a simple gesture that shows you're thinking about what they like/need.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all need a hug. This books is a bunch of caring friends trying to cheer up mouse. They try everything they can think of but nothing works. Until the chipmunk offers mouse a hug...then it is all good. So, this book has words -plus, but there are several pages where you have to interpret the story (like the hugs...or what I assume is the hugs) so you never know. I like the illustrations and the expressions on the animals faces.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet tale of a small mouse who is feeling down. All the other animals try in their unique ways to cheer up Mouse, but all the exciting attempts still leave mouse feeling sad. Until one little creature solves everything with something so simple. A hug. Lovely, and lively, illustrations move the story along well on the few wordless pages that occur throughout.

[Amanda Augsburger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mouse’s friends take on the task of cheering up their glum little pal. As they all try to put a smile on his face, it starts to seem like nothing will work — until chipmunk steps in.

This beautifully illustrated book would be a fantastic lap read for an older toddler or preschooler. Due to the spare text, it probably wouldn’t be an ideal storytime read — but could work for a small group.

[Karen Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mouse is feeling down and nothing can make him feel better. All his friends try to help by doing things they like to do, but nothing helps mouse feel better until squirrel gives mouse a simple hug! The illustrations are colorful and help explain how different animals live such as mole rats, frogs, birds and other animals in the forest.