Pizza Mouse

A city mouse knows that no one really likes mice—not dogs, not cats, not people. Yet he’s on a quest to find some tasty food in the city, and nothing is going to stop him, particularly when he finds the best food of all: pizza!

This is a cute story, written in short sentences to enable beginning readers to tackle it on their own. Readers can also refer to the pictures to help them make sense of the action. Admittedly, there is not much of an overarching plot, and the action comes across as disjointed at times as the mouse protagonist runs about the city meeting different people and completing different activities. Most young readers probably will not notice or mind, however.

The artwork is bold, colorful, and glossy. Of course, there’s a picture of the mouse in every spread, which young readers can have fun looking for. However, there is also enough detail and playfulness to catch the attention of adult readers. For instance, there’s a soup can among the trash that alludes to Andy Warhol. Overall, Pizza Mouse is a great choice for young readers who like food, fun, and adventure.