Such a Little Mouse

by Alice Schertle, Stephanie Yue (Illustrator)

Explore the world of such a little mouse--from the bestselling author of LITTLE BLUE TRUCK!

"And way down deep in the holelives a mouse. Such a little mouse,with his smart gray coat,with his ears pink as petals,with three twitchety whiskerson each side of his nose." With Alice Schertle's sweet descriptive language and touching illustrations from Stephanie Yue, a little mouse interacts with the world around him. Every season of the year, "such a little mouse" pops out of his hole and goes out to explore the wider world.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Nature, Fiction, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2015

About the author

Alice Schertle has written more than 40 books, mostly for children. A mother and former elementary school teacher, Ms. Schertle is a graduate of the University of Southern California. Many of her most famous works are poetic in nature, though she writes about a wide variety of topics.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My five and almost three year old love this book. It is a sweet story about a cute little mouse preparing for the winter throughout all the seasons. It has really captured their imaginations and extended into their creative play, which definitely makes it 5 stars worthy. They like pretending to be little mice burrowing under their blankets and making watercress soup. The charming illustrations of the mouse’s hole would have captured my little homemaker imagination as a kid, too. In fact I think it still does!

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live this little mouse’s life.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches the values and lessons of each season as seen in the life of an imaginary mouse. All of the hard work and effort of spring, summer, and fall culminate with the simple pleasures of winter and being inside when it is unwelcome outdoors. I am so glad I sought this book out by the author of the LITTLE BLUE TRUCK books. I read it as an ebook and I must admit, it was lovely in that format (on an iPad).

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my grandchildren and asked them to help me rate it. One of them is almost 6 and the other is almost 4. They both said this one was 5 stars. They really enjoyed the beautiful pictures in combination with the story of a little mouse in all seasons.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable pictures. Cute story showing the seasons "in the background" as one wonders why the mouse is collecting what and when he does.

10/12/16 Used in Seasons preschool theme. Very repetitive, but got the point across of the seasons passing and the mouse enjoying it while also working. Not the most amazing book ever to share, but the kids paid attention and that always is a plus.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One can't help but love little mouse with ears pink as petals. The story takes you through the season which I loved but I found the ending abrupt. I wanted it repeat the spring page - "Every morning in spring."

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the illustrations, especially the way panels were overlaid over lovely landscape scenery. But I really wish she'd used a different repeating phrase than "way down deep in his hole." Even if that stuff goes over a kid's head, adults still have to read it out loud...

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially like the illustrations of this tiny mouse and his home. The mouse goes about gathering food items for the winter he knows that is ahead. During winter in his mouse house one of the activities he enjoys is of course reading. There is a soft sweet peaceful tone to this title.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Stephanie Yue – The gorgeous peaceful words in this book pulled me through this read aloud. Loved how the story felt to read aloud. Felt like I was reading a classic.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blargh! It was so jarring that the little mouse was a he. For some reason, just looking at the cover (and the female author, and female illustrator) I expected a female protagonist - Oh, and then later (at the back of the book) saw that the story was written well into the 21st Century... Blargh!

The story is cute. The illustrations are fabulous. The review of the seasons wonderful. The whimsical elements amusing but not too much to make it ridiculous. Normally, I would have given four or five stars. BUT the book was written by a woman well into the 21st Century and still it was a male protagonist. Really?!?! Because, really the world needs more books to fill in for the giant dearth of active, intelligent protagonists in children's storybooks (that last bit, of course, is sarcasm). Blargh!!

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adorable picture book explores the seasons through the point of view of a little mouse who lives in a little hole in the middle of a meadow. In the spring and the summer, he's so happy to come outside and see the flowers and the animals. When autumn comes the leaves are falling and the other animals are getting ready for winter. And when winter comes, he's prepared to hunker down in his hole and sleep. The illustrations are very sweet and whimsical. I especially love the pictures of the little mouse's hole complete with a little kitchen, a little storage area, and a little bedroom. This would be a good book to use as a fun storytime book to talk about the seasons and how animals prepare for winter.

[Ross Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest, this is one of my FAVORITE books that we own. I bought it went I saw it was by Alice Schertle, since I've really enjoyed her series "Little Blue Truck". There is nothing not to like about Such a Little Mouse. The illustrations of the mouse house really do it for me. It's just so sweet. 5 star book. Waiting for another book in the series!

[Olivia S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super cute book. The little mouse comes out of his hole, visits friends, and gathers food in each season, and then stays snug and warm inside during the winter. Adorable illustrations. Could be used for any season, especially winter. A bit text heavy for little ones, so probably 4+.

[Tanda Pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book. It tells a sweet tale, and has beautiful illustrations. I’m not sure which I liked best. It also is a good science book as it includes other animals, plants, weather and seasons.

[Jared White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so cute and I especially adore the pages where the mouse decides it is too cold to go out so they bake some bread, make some soup, and curl up with a good book. I put this on my "cozy books" shelf. :)

[Carly Hales · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the kids loved this one- the story follows a little mouse through the 4 seasons. In the first 3 he is gathering food and then in the winter he stays home. We loved how cute and cozy he was baking acorn bread and making soup and reading.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute story with equally cute illustrations about a mouse who's getting ready for hibernation.

[Carol Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations, repetition would make it a nice storytime book with themes of seasons, weather, animals, hibernation.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about seasons told as a story!

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A darling little book.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a rodent lover, I ADORE this book.

[Joy Keil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read! Enjoyed by parents and kids!

[Gina Farcas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely Spring book about a mouse.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute. Short and sweet. I find the illustrations very good.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely cozy. Adorable. About the seasons.

[Reina Williams]

A cute and cozy read with utterly charming illustrations taking the little mouse through the seasons.

[Kaylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

😍

[Caroline Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars as this book is a cyclical learning experience for young readers with emphasis on the changing of seasons and the preparedness of animals.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The life of "such a little mouse" through the seasons. Repetition and great illustrations moves the story along and endears it in our hearts.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little mouse lives in a hole in a meadow under a clump of dandelions. In the spring, he heads out of his home and explores the area around him. He sees a snail, a woodpecker and buzzing bees. He also sees himself reflected in a puddle. And each day he brings home a seed that he stores away in his storeroom. In the summer, the little mouse watches beavers building a dam in the pond, visits a toad, and sees a porcupine. He brings a sprig of watercress home each day and adds that to his storeroom. In autumn, the little mouse watches geese flying, ants marching, and brings home an acorn to his storeroom which is filling up. In winter snow falls and the little mouse can’t see the grass anymore. He heads right back into his hole and stays there, well fed and warm.

This picture book explores seasons and the changes seasons bring in nature from a gentle and cheerful mouse perspective. It captures the natural rhythms by echoing them in the writing. Little mouse leaves his hole the same way no matter what the season, by counting to three and popping out. Then he explores, discovering three things in nature to pay attention to. Some small and some large. Schertle’s tone invites young readers to take a look at the nature outside their own holes and visit it each day to see the changing seasons.

Yue’s illustrations also show nature as a place to safely visit and explore. The illustrations celebrate nature and its beauty and variety. They also pay homage to classic stories like Peter Rabbit while down in the mouse’s burrow with his homey furniture and then his baking and soup making in the winter months.

A simple story, but one that has a wonderful rhythm and poetry to it that moves it to the top of the large pile of seasonal stories. Appropriate for ages 3-5.