Mouse & Mole

Mouse and Mole

by Joyce Dunbar, James Mayhew (Illustrator)

What will Mouse and Mole find to do tomorrow? They set out their plan: a picnic of cheese and cucumber sandwiches if it is a fine day, or roasted chestnuts and toasted muffins in front of an apple wood fire if it is wild and wintry. But what will they do if it is an in-between sort of day?

A new edition of this classic story from author illustrator team Joyce Dunbar and James Mayhew.

‘The two cohabiting animals are characters that stand alongside the greats of children’s literature’ Sunday Telegraph

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Friendship

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Joyce Dunbar is an English author of over seventy children’s books, best known for Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go To Sleep, This Is The Star, and the Mouse and Mole series. Born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, she studied English at Goldsmiths College before teaching drama until hearing loss led her to write full time in 1989. Her first children’s book appeared when she was 35, followed by works such as Mundo and the Weather-Child, which explored the experiences of a deaf child and earned critical recognition. Her stories have been adapted for stage, television, and interactive media, with Mouse and Mole becoming a 26-part animated series. She has also been an advocate for deaf awareness, cycling across Cuba for charity. Dunbar lives in Norwich.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short chapter picture book. I'm not sure if these characters are meant to be from wind in the willows but they seem to be inspired by them. The illustrations are lovely, this book also reminded me a bit of the Brambly Hedge series.

The plot was disappointing. Apart from nice details of daily life there seemed to be two things going on. Mole had a very messy house, lots of clutter and mouse was trying to change this. Mole also has an eating problem, he over eats and is obsessed with food. His obsession with eating is mentioned on nearly every page. He eats so much he can't move one day and says he will starve himself the next. Not a healthy message for children.

This could have been a lovely book if the plot had been about something else. I wouldn't read this to a child.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an amazing picture book with a good story to share with the children.

The illustrations are amazing. I love the colours. I love the character interactions and the activities they did together.

Such a warm story. The story feels quite wholesome.

Get this one for your collection.

Thank you, authors and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Mouse and Mole is an adorable and funny children's picture book that reminds me of the wind in the willows.
Mouse and Mole are best friends who live together. Mouse is very encouraging to Mole to go out for a picnic but Mole wants to get things done first.
Mole and Mouse had me in stitches throughout this book with their ways! They do eventually get to go on their picnic but Mouse then eats all the food!
This book is so very funny and adults and children will love it in equal quantities.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mouse and Mole was originally published in 1993, but was republished in June 2021 by Star Bright Books. I was not aware of this series with a lovable duo, but with this reissue, I'm sure others will find them. In this short chapter book, we have three different stories. The first is about Mole and his obsession with food and eating. He eats everything he can find until he ends up stuffed and with a huge belly. The second is how Mouse and Mole deal with a cluttered house. There is a little bit of a hoarder vibe in that story. The last finds the friends going on a picnic. Mole keeps going back to the house to get things he thinks he might need. Mouse gets bored waiting and eventually eats all the food in the basket. He needn't worry, because Mole comes with a second picnic lunch to share.

This is an interesting book. I found parts of it humorous, but other parts rather boring without much happening. I also didn't like the theme around gorging oneself. This would be an easy book for early chapter readers, but I'm not sure if it would interest them. Overall, an okay read, but not one I would recommend.

[Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in “Mouse and Mole” are in a classic style that fits the stories well. The mini stories can be read at once or by chapter at bedtime. Great for beginner readers!

This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Karen Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of favourite stories from my childhood, frog and toad and the wind in the willows. I’m sure other gen x or elder millennial parents or teachers would feel the same when sharing this story with their kids. It is beautifully illustrated and the story is cute and heartwarming , would make a great addition to any childrens book collection.

[Holly Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was unsure about this book, having read some reviews on here. Glad I did get it; James Mayhew is one of my favourite illustrators and my 5 year old loves these stories. They are gentle and humorous, and I think it is clear to the reader that Mole’s greedy tendancies aren’t something to emulate, just as his hoarding so much stuff there’s no room to get in the house isn’t. I’m very picky with children’s books and there’s a lot I wouldn’t consider suitable (my son’s never heard Little Red Riding Hood, for instance) but I’m not at all worried about sharing this with him.

[Becki Sims · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and felt that it was charming and sweet.

The storyline wasn’t as strong as I expected and was a little fragmented.

The relationship between the two characters was very endearing and I would definitely read another story featuring these characters.

Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful tale, often reminiscent of Wind in the Willows. I completely sympathised with Mouse and Mole’s dilemma of a home full of too much stuff, and their ‘solution’ made me smile. James Mayhew’s illustrations complemented the tale beautifully, and I look forward to reading more of this series.

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. The illustrations are charming, and I love a good friendship tale. But the diet culture messages in this book are pretty gross, and there are many unresolved issues at the end of the story, which irritated me. Won’t be reading the others in the series.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is much charm here, with lovely illustrations by James Mayhew. But honestly, Frog and Toad did it better.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute collection of interconnected stories reminiscent of The Wind in the Willows and Frog and Toad.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet reimagining of "Frog and Toad."

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story was broken up into three chapters; Daffodils, Whiskers, and least Expected. Each short chapters was filled stories and lesson in kindness and acceptance. The main characters were Mouse and Mole and were best friends that shared a home.

Daffodil
The friends discovered a beautiful yellow daffodil in the garden. The friends had different ideas on how to best enjoy the flower. The conclusion was nothing short of magical.

Whisker
Mole accidentally trimmed one of his whiskers to short and now his whiskers were mismatched. Mole sought advice from his friends,. Those friends tried to be helpful by suggesting that whiskers/bristles were nice.
"Bristles today, whiskers tomorrow."

Least Expecting
"Happy Birthday Mole"

The important portion of children's literature are the illustration. This book contains many beautiful images that on their tell the story and teaches many valuable lessons.

Thank you Joyce Dunbar, James Mayhew, Star Bright Books, and NetGalley for the privilege of reading and sharing this book.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of friends, Mouse and Mole who are preparing for a party. It is divided into three sections or chapters, The first two chapters don't seem super related to the party theme, but they introduce the secondary characters, such as Rabbit and Hedgehog. The illustrations are in an older "classic" style and could see parents or grandparents enjoying sharing a story with their little ones that reminds them of their childhood books. There is quite a bit of text on a page, so again, it seems like it is written for shared reading experiences with younger children. I would recommend this book to parents of children in the age 3-7 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Jessica Gard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not previously enjoyed the Mouse and Mole series, and I am so very glad that I had the opportunity to discover it through Netgalley and Star Bright Books.

The characters of Mouse and Mole bring me back to the days when I was a young reader, and it brings such a wonderful sense of nostalgia for me. Joyce Dunbar has created such wonderful characters that would be right at home with the classics such as Frog and Toad, and even Winnie the Pooh.

And I cannot forget to mention how much I enjoyed James Mayhew’s illustration style. The entire color palette brought to mind a sense of calm coziness, and I absolutely loved it.

[Sue Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is adorable. The illustrations in particular are lovely, making you feel like someone looking in on the animal characters. This is a bit longer than the usual book for about 5-8, but I like that, because there are some children who outgrow one sentence per page type books right away. This book has a peaceful cadence to it when read aloud. It would be a great story for bedtime, when you are winding down the day.
Thank you to Star Bright Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kelly Green's Book Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ Mouse & Mole are charming & fun ~
Three short, charming tales, perfect for 2-3 graders. Mouse and Mole are really adorable friends who have rather unpredictable escapades.

The illustrations feel reminiscent of Beatrix Potter with a retro color palette and a rough sketch look.

The stories have interesting perspectives that are fun to share with your young reader- what would YOU do if you were Mole? how would YOU handle this if YOU were mouse?

This is really a fun book to share with young readers.

[Lindsey Lawntea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mouse and Mole Have a Party is another in the series that is somewhat similar to (but not quite as perfect as) Frog and Toad. The stories aren't that interesting, but the illustrations are cute and do have those "cottage core" vibes that I've really been seeking out recently. I'd just recommend sticking with Frog and Toad.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for providing the arc for this review!

Another entry in the long-running Mouse and Mole series, another couple of mismatched friends, yet it still continues to enchant. Children and adults will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and in Mole's tendency to overcorrect when trying to fix something.

A great addition to a wonderful series.

[Roxana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweetly clever children's book with lovely, old-fashioned illustrations and a gentle friendship between the titular animals, reminiscent of Frog and Toad. The three stories that make up this particular book were each engaging, heartwarming, and quietly funny. A delightful bedtime read.

[Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains three short stories of the antics of Mouse and Mole. They have a daffodil, learn about cutting their whiskers, and spend some time least expecting things.