Mouse Scouts: Make A Difference

Mouse Scouts

by Sarah Dillard

For fans of Ivy and Bean and Junie B. Jones comes a brand-new chapter book series: Mouse Scouts!
 
Violet, Tigerlily, and their friends are ready to earn their Make a Difference badge. If only they could agree on what kind of difference they want to make. But when the troop decides to clean up a local park, they find themselves facing an unusual rescue mission. Will the girls be able to make a real difference, or will this badge prove more than the Mouse Scouts can handle?
 
Brimming with lively black-and-white illustrations—including pages from the official Mouse Scout Handbook, plus diagrams, games, activities, and more—this darling new series is just right for chapter book readers.

Genres: Childrens, Chapter Books, Fiction, Friendship, Animals, Middle Grade

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

Sarah lives on a mountain in Vermont with her husband and their fidgety brown dog. Though Sarah strives for perfection, she seldom achieves it. Her house is rarely clean and her garden, when not buried under a snowdrift, is usually full of weeds. Overall, though, she has a pretty nice life. And if windows would only wash themselves, it would be just about perfect! Visit Sarah online at www.sarahdillard.com and www.mousescouts.com

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, cute enough premise, but I didn't like this one as well as the first book in the series. I feel the message of what "making a difference" means got a little convoluted here. The scout master tells the scouts that making a difference can be as simple as being kind to someone, smiling and brightening someone's day... but then later the scouts all tear down Violet's idea to bring flower baskets to sad or needy mice as not being good enough. They try to clean up garbage in the park and upcycle some plastic bags into baskets. Their ultimate "good deed" involves getting a stuck cat out of a tree. This cat had been a menace in the area and nearly pounced on a few of the mice (as in, to eat them) so he's generally regarded as very dangerous.... then suddenly he's stuck up a tree calling for help and the mouse scouts decide to help him down!? I know the book is trying to show that we should be kind to everyone... but for me it just felt a little too far-fetched!

[Michelle Stimpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will forever be jealous that I didn't think of this idea for a series first.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this second book of the Mouse Scouts chapter book series, the troop pursues their Make a Difference badge. For their community service project, the mice clean up the park. In the process, they encounter the neighborhood bully, who is a cat, stranded up in a tree. After a surprisingly short debate over whether or not to save their worst predator, they devise and execute a plan to rescue him.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable tale of a group of mice who have to work jointly in order to achieve the "Make a Difference" badge for their Mouse Scout troop.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

4/5/20 age 7 - The story is about mouse scouts earning their Make a Difference badges. I loved it! I liked that Tigerlily got Big Red the cat out of the tree. I did not like that Big Red the cat got stuck in the tree chasing a squirrel.
Words that describe this book: exciting, surprising, entertaining, inspiring. It was surprising when Big Red the cat helped Tigerlily get up on the branch so she could get Big Red down. I would recommend this book to people who like activities, mice, earning badges, and surprises.

[Beth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to the younger kids, book 2 in the series. These books are a little longer and this was felt slow at times to me, but with a very strong ending. We will wait a while until picking up book 3.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being small or one is no excuse for not doing right. We can always make a difference even if it's a small one. A team can work on a larger project and all can help. Even a tiny mouse can help a cat stuck in a tree. Amazing educational series filled with tips and valuable knowledge.

[Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was funny because animals keeped eating their vegetables. (L, aged 5)

[Memory Toast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable installment. I liked this one even more than the first, because the scouts are focused more on others.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Book loosely based on GS.

[Chelsea Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, sweet and fun

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but definitely message heavy.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series with so many great parallels to human life. They have some fun tips too!

[Mandy Robek · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for a Girl Scout Daisy to read and get inspired!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Acorn Scouts are hard at work trying to earn their Make a Difference badges even though Tigerlily is looking for something with a little more excitement than doing that or weaving baskets. In this follow-up to the first title, Mouse Scouts, the mice are clueless as to how to make a difference until Tigerlily suggests that they clean up all the trash in the area and Violet decides that a woven basket made from some of the trash would be a great receptacle. After Big Red, a huge cat who tries to catch the mice, ends up stranded in the tree, the girls have to decide what to do. I liked how the scouts faced a real world dilemma about whether to help the cat and get in trouble for being late to the scout meeting. Young readers will enjoy this story as its characters continue to develop in complexity, and they will appreciate the tips in the Mouse Scout Handbook, which explains how to make a basket, cat safety, essential tools, and the importance of teamwork, all of which would be important for someone whether he/she is a scout or not. The text and illustrations, created with pencil and digital media, will keep elementary grade readers engaged while delivering some important life lessons.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dillard, Sarah Make Difference (Mouse Scouts Book #2), 127 pgs Knopf, 2016. $12.99. Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G

In this second book Violet and her best friend Tigerlily are learning how to weave baskets as part of the Acorn Scouts. They are trying to earn a Make a Difference Badge. Violet has an idea to pick up litter at the park as part of this. Eventually they reuse some of the trash in various inventions including helping out someone who is very dangerous to them, a cat.

There are some great lessons here about helping the planet, reuse/recycle, and how to treat others who aren’t very nice to you. This one seems to have to have a bit more personality and fun to it and I liked it quite a bit more than the first book. The cover has a ton of appeal so I may give this series a try in my library.

EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so glad to have the opportunity to review both books in this new series by Sarah Dillard. After reading the first book in the series, I was ready to continue on with the series. The book stars Violet and Tigerlily. These two friends don't always agree perfectly on every little thing, but, they have a way of coming together when it really, truly matters. It was just a fun treat for me to spend time with these two again, and to get another opportunity to get to know the other scouts as well.

In this one, the mice are attempting to earn the "Make A Difference" badge. I was able to guess what one of their projects would be, but, I was pleasantly surprised by an additional way they all came together to make a difference. I wasn't expecting that at all!

Overall, both books are super-easy to recommend. I think both books will appeal to young readers--girls especially in first and second grade.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friends Violet and Tigerlily have grown out of Buttercup Scouts and have become Acorn Scouts. Along with Hyacinth, Petunia, Cricket and Junebug, the friends must cope with their exacting Scout leader Miss Poppy and with the hazards of being a mouse, what with predatory cats and inconsiderate humans. In this second title in the series, the troop must agree on the project for their 'Make a Difference" badge. This badge is an important project: "By following the Mouse Scout motto of being Cheerful, Aware, and Thoughtful (CAT for short), YOU can make a difference!' When Violet comes up with the idea of making baskets for mice who are sad or needy, no one likes the idea, and she is crushed. The scouts eventually do agree on cleaning up the local park, but the cat Big Red arrives to cause mayhem. How are the Mouse Scouts going to deal with him?! I like the little informational chapters, especially "Mice Who Made a Difference".

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I stated previously, in another review regarding the first Mouse Scouts book, I appreciate how young readers, particularly the readers who may be in some kind of troop, may relate to this book and the trials, tribulations and triumph that were experienced throughout. This book, along with the first Mouse Scout book, blended a fictional story with factual snippets (this time about helping others and making a difference, small and large). For the readers who are just beginning to read, I believe that this book is a wonderful starting point. Not only will this book help readers gain confidence in their reading ability, but most importantly, this book will provoke the reader to truly think about making a difference, no matter how large or small, and just how important it can be.

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[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through my district Library Services*

This sequel is cute, just like the first. The author gives each girl in the troop a distinct personality, although aside from Violet and Tigerlily they're a bit one-dimensional. I like the teamwork involved in their activities, and for girls who are involved in Scouting, this book will provide some encouragement.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mouse scouts want to earn their "Make a Difference" badge, but aren't sure what to do. After some deliberating, they decide to pick up trash to make their town prettier. When things don't go how they planned, they refuse to give up.

This is a cute chapter book that girls involved in Girl Scouts would love. I like that the girls are focused on helping their community and that they don't let problems get in the way of their mission. A cute book with a good message.

[Nicole Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good installment of the Mouse Scouts series. The characters portrayed demonstrate critical thinking skills and the importance of involvement for kids. This is a great tween read with positive role models, no violence, and strong female characters.

[Julia Hendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

More adventures for the mouse scouts. This time the six friends are working on their Make a Difference badge and end up helping a cat

[Sara Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the set up in these books with the mouse scout handbook in between the chapters. This story was reminiscent of the fable of the Lion and the Mouse.

[Kelly Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mouse Scouts reminds me a lot of Girl Scouts. I liked the different text features. Overall, the story reminded me of the fable The Lion and the Mouse.

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a weakness for books about mice and these are Scout mice Something which I am getting involved with recently. What more can I say.

[Amarie35 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute series of books. I would highly recommend it to a 4th grade girl looking for a good book to read. I love how Sarah Dillard inserts pages from the mouse scouts manual book.