House Mouse: A Clever Picture Book About a Resourceful Mouse and the Power of Friendship for Children

by Michael Hall

When a clever and resourceful mouse looks for a safe place to settle down, she learns that home is wherever you make it. A book about home, friendship, empathy—and construction—from the award-winning and bestselling Michael Hall, creator of Red: A Crayon’s Story and Perfect Square.

On a chilly morning, a mouse finds something remarkable: a warm and welcoming fire. So, she builds a stove to mark the spot. When a fox chases the mouse but suddenly stops, she builds a floor on the patch of ground where she is protected. Soon, it seems as though the mouse has everything she needs for a house. But there’s one thing missing: friends!

House Mouse is a deceptively simple story about hard work, creativity, and sharing from a master of layered, yet accessible picture books. Michael Hall’s bright, bold mixed-media artwork will catch the eye of even the youngest readers, as will the busy mouse’s tool collection and construction work. House Mouse is playful and surprising and shares a powerful message about friendship, empathy and hospitality. A must-have for fans of Mo Willems and Eric Carle.

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

40 pages, Hardcover

Published May 11, 2021

About the author

Michael Hall is the author/illustrator of The New York Times bestseller, My Heart Is Like a Zoo, as well as the critically acclaimed Perfect Square, It’s an Orange Aardvark, Red: A Crayon’s Story, and Frankencrayon.

Before becoming a children’s author, Michael was an award-winning graphic designer whose work — including graphic identities for the City of Saint Paul, Macalester College, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Hennepin County Medical Center — has been widely recognized for its simple and engaging approach.

Michael lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Michael Hall's mind. Is there such a thing as narrative negative space? If so, Hall definitely employs it here. Where MY mind goes is...the mouse found a thin place in the space-time continuum where the house that existed in the future occupied a space in the present and the mouse was able to detect it somehow. This theory is supported by the fact that the mouse heard the knocking but wasn't able to let in the travelers until he built the door because THEY WERE IN THE FUTURE. Brilliant.
[edit: could it be that the travelers are regular time-traveling mice? Maybe even his OWN DESCENDANTS...]

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story of a mouse who builds his home where he feels secure, then shares it with friends.

Michael Hall is fantastic at short, sweet, to-the-point books. This hits those marks. But what it lacks - that most of his others have - is that magical something special he usually adds. Here it seems to be missing. There are plenty of other books that cover this same ground, and unfortuntely, this one pales in comparison to his other books. Nice, but not necessary.

Useful for units about friends, home, and feeling secure.

Optional for PreSchool to grade 1.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully complex picture book that will have children making guesses and sharing their speculation. I admit that as soon as I finished this one, I immediately flipped back to the beginning to start it all over. A mouse builds a welcoming house, but first she must detect exactly where everything must go. She uses her senses to notice where should be. Is the mouse simply imagining what it will be like before he builds the house? Or is there some space-time continuum that allows the mouse to feel where the future house is? Who knows! Lots to talk about with a deep thinking group. The art consists of digitally combined collages of painted and cut paper.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!!

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does a clever and resourceful mouse make herself a dwelling?

For this picture book (suited to very young readers), visuals carry the weight. Author and illustrator Michael Hall alternates pictures and words very deftly. You can never guess what will come next -- at least, on first reading.

Unpredictably, for instance, a two-page spread gives us an aerial view of the developing house.

This story appeals to the desire of all people, young readers included, to do things worth doing. To become efficacious.

I wish there were more such stories. This one certainly has earned FIVE STARS from this Goodreader.

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mouse was cold and found a warm spot - so built a fireplace there.
Mouse was being chased by fox but found that fox could only go so far - so marked that spot to add to the house.
And so the story goes - adding more and more until mouse finally has a cozy house. Even if it looks a lot like a people house rather than a mouse house.
I think kids will enjoy the running up and down and in and out and over and through parts but will also appreciate the safety and comfort mouse feels in the house and the friends mouse makes.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something very special about this book. The text is so simple, but the idea is complex and intriguing. I love this idea that the mouse builds a house around the functions it is already expressing. A roof to mark where the rain doesn't fall. It tickled my brain. I think it will entertain and puzzle children and inspire creative thinking. Can't wait to try it at storytime before doing the Little Mouse felt board activity. It's like Hall created a book to mark the space of time before the felt story.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delight of simplicity in text, concept, and art. With aspects in art that remind me of Lio Lionni, Mouse recognizes essential values to enhance his life- warmth, safety, shelter, etc. Each becomes a component of the envtual house, which is willingly shared with kindred spirits.
Designed and written toward within even the youngest reader/listeners, it also has layers of potential exploration for older readers.

[Maeghan Nutmeg Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, but a little bit backwards. For example, the mouse builds a front door after she hears knocking (but does not see anyone). Once she builds the door and then opens it, that's when she actually sees some travelers who are visiting. This is a little silly but not in a bad way or anything.

Just on the edge of being too long, but a nice tie-in for a feltboard game of "Little Mouse," if you want.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little mouse sees a spot of warmth in the distance. When he gets closer he builds a stove around it. When he is chased by a fox he runs near the stove that emits heat that keeps the predator away. So he lays a floor down on the safe space. Action continues until an entire house is built except for a door. It doesn't occur to the mouse to build a door until he hears knocking but can't tell where it's coming from.

Highly recommended for storytime.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts with a fire, warm and comforting. Around that fire, Mouse builds a zone of safety against the dangers and discomforts of the outside world: first adding a stove, then a floor and a roof. And when two weary travelers happen by, she invites them in. "At its best, it was a welcoming place, and the house mouse wanted everyone to know it."

Love the illustrations!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmmmmm. I just didn't buy the premise. Mouse experiences the features of a house BEFORE they are built, so then builds them? (A spot without chilliness - built a stove. Fox won't come past a certain place - built a floor. Heard knocking - built a door.) I can get behind a silly book, but this one just made me scratch my head.

[Lori Tart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet deceptively simple book that allows the reader to discuss building a new country and welcoming others into your life. The final page of the mouse being the statue of liberty made me tear up. I know my interpretation is a little different than the description of this title, but it worked for the lesson we created with it.

[Kelly]

Deeeeeeefinitely not his best. The story is fine, but the illustrations are a bit simplistic. I think the mouse could have been designed better. I don't know, maybe this is the point of the book, but it wasn't my favorite of his (See the book Perfect Square).

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

It begins when a mouse finds a fire and builds a stove "to mark the spot where the chilliness wasn't." Step by step the mouse builds a home for shelter for herself and others. A simple picture book with a comforting message about home. Similar in tone and style to Leo Lionni's stories.

[Mama Bearian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mouse finds a fire, so it builds a stove to mark the spot. And so the book goes, with the mouse finding things and marking those spots, until it has built a house. The mouse makes his home where he is safe and happy. It is a sweet take on the concept of home.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Hall writes multi-layered picture books. That's a fact. I learned long ago never to take his books at face value, and there have been times the children helped me discover the deeper meaning. This book is no different: lots to mentally chew on! I'm a fan.

[Abigail Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super cute! I did think it was a little odd at parts because the house "formed" before it was "built." Like the mouse hears a knock and then builds the door. But it was super sweet about building a home and it was very cute!

[Mrs Heet -Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok. I think the use of negative space throughout the story is clever, however I think that the children might not understand it. I did like the simplicity of it, and the action sounds that accompanied the story as well.

[Eija]

I love the soups that are made and little mouse refuge.

[Dawn Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great big, awwwww ❤ !

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever, remarkably skilled mouse looks for a safe, welcoming place to settle down and learns that home is wherever you make it. A charming, gentle story about home, friendship, and empathy.

[Y.Poston]

delightful

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked the premise of this, but the ending left me wanting.

[Melissa the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, a little weird.

[Clementine]

sweet. i'm not sure how much will stick with me, but could work for a storytime about homes.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mouse builds a house in the field where it is warm, safe, and dry.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little mouse slowly and without knowing it builds a welcoming home. Preschool and up

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was confused!

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming, fantastical story!

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Another classic by this popular author