Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 38, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
You saw that coming, right? After my reference to If You Give a Mouse A Cookie in this post, you knew I would go ahead and review it, didn't you?
Actually, if you did see that coming, you were way ahead of me, because I just got the bright idea today while I was at the library browsing and trying to decide on which book to review!
I think the scenario played out in these cute little story books, where one thing just leads to another in one giant circle until you are right back at the beginning, resounds with me these days because, quite frankly, that is how motherhood and housekeeping can feel!
In fact, every Monday I feel a little that way when I am staring at the giant pile of dirty laundry that is pretty much the same giant pile of dirty laundry that I just washed last week!
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, written by Laura Joffe Numeroff, and illustrated by Felicia Bond, opens with the scene of a little boy offering a cookie to a little mouse. I am sure that the boy did this as a friendly gesture, never guessing that it would mushroom into a major fiasco involving milk, then a straw...a trim, then a manic sweeping of the entire house...a drawing, then the need to hang the drawing on the fridge. Looking at the Fridge will remind him that he's thirsty. So...he'll ask for a glass of milk. And chances are that if he asks for a glass of milk, he's going to want a cookie to go with it.
The story really is quite genius and believable, too! Why wouldn't a cookie lead to drawing a picture of one's family? It certainly seems logical enough in the book.
Since giving a mouse a cookie didn't seem like quite enough, the author went on to write an entire series of "If You Give A..." books!
Right now I also have If You Give a Pig a Pancake
And If You Give a Moose a Muffin.
All are equally fun, and one will also notice a similarity going on in the plots: the animal making all the requests is having a grand old time, while the boy/girl doing all the running around in an attempt to please looks increasingly alarmed and exhausted! Sound familiar?
The drawings in these books are truly delightful works of art, and they really add to the story with their friendly colors and details. As much as I admire authors (and strive to be one!) I must just say here that artists who illustrate children's books cause a different kind of awe: not because I strive to be like them, but because their skills are so out of my league that I can only stand back in wonder. I couldn't even draw the stack of pancakes in a believable fashion, much less the pig in all her glory, so really and truly, my hat is off to each and every person who labors with easel and paintbrush.
If you give a writer a plot, she'll write a story, and if she writes a story, she'll need an artist to go with it.
If the author and artist work together and create a real masterpiece, it will get published and be placed on bookshelves all over the world.
If it is placed on the bookshelf of a particularly wonderful library, Joanna will eventually find it and maybe even write a review.
As long as she has a cup of tea to go with it!!!
Actually, if you did see that coming, you were way ahead of me, because I just got the bright idea today while I was at the library browsing and trying to decide on which book to review!
I think the scenario played out in these cute little story books, where one thing just leads to another in one giant circle until you are right back at the beginning, resounds with me these days because, quite frankly, that is how motherhood and housekeeping can feel!
In fact, every Monday I feel a little that way when I am staring at the giant pile of dirty laundry that is pretty much the same giant pile of dirty laundry that I just washed last week!
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, written by Laura Joffe Numeroff, and illustrated by Felicia Bond, opens with the scene of a little boy offering a cookie to a little mouse. I am sure that the boy did this as a friendly gesture, never guessing that it would mushroom into a major fiasco involving milk, then a straw...a trim, then a manic sweeping of the entire house...a drawing, then the need to hang the drawing on the fridge. Looking at the Fridge will remind him that he's thirsty. So...he'll ask for a glass of milk. And chances are that if he asks for a glass of milk, he's going to want a cookie to go with it.
The story really is quite genius and believable, too! Why wouldn't a cookie lead to drawing a picture of one's family? It certainly seems logical enough in the book.
Since giving a mouse a cookie didn't seem like quite enough, the author went on to write an entire series of "If You Give A..." books!
Right now I also have If You Give a Pig a Pancake
All are equally fun, and one will also notice a similarity going on in the plots: the animal making all the requests is having a grand old time, while the boy/girl doing all the running around in an attempt to please looks increasingly alarmed and exhausted! Sound familiar?
The drawings in these books are truly delightful works of art, and they really add to the story with their friendly colors and details. As much as I admire authors (and strive to be one!) I must just say here that artists who illustrate children's books cause a different kind of awe: not because I strive to be like them, but because their skills are so out of my league that I can only stand back in wonder. I couldn't even draw the stack of pancakes in a believable fashion, much less the pig in all her glory, so really and truly, my hat is off to each and every person who labors with easel and paintbrush.
If you give a writer a plot, she'll write a story, and if she writes a story, she'll need an artist to go with it.
If the author and artist work together and create a real masterpiece, it will get published and be placed on bookshelves all over the world.
If it is placed on the bookshelf of a particularly wonderful library, Joanna will eventually find it and maybe even write a review.
As long as she has a cup of tea to go with it!!!
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