A Friend for Mole

Mole loved the cozy, safe solitude of his home underground. Listening to sounds from above he could imagine what was happening in the outside world. One day his curiosity gets the best of him and he leaves his burrow to investigate all the shouting and laughing from up above. Unfortunately, the brightness and unfamiliar smells and sounds prove too much for Mole. In a panic to return to his burrow his trips and falls into a dark quiet place similar to his home but it may not be as safe for in the darkness Mole sees a pair of eyes staring back at him. Maybe Mole should have stayed tucked away in his little burrow.

Pencil and watercolor illustrations in earth tones aptly lend an outdoorsy feel to the story. In early spreads readers experience the world from Mole’s vantage point, as the little guy with large animals scurrying about above ground. By the end we have a more complete view – a sign that Mole emerges from the darkness much more comfortable with the world above his burrow. A cute addition to the genre of friendship two-some picture books, A Friend for Mole touches on themes of bravery, honesty, and helping others, without boring readers.