Countdown with Milo and Mouse

by Mike Austin (Illustrator)

Overview

Milo the cat and his friend Mouse are getting ready and counting down to their launch into space. Inside the rocket, Milo puts on his space helmet (10!), then mouse presses buttons and turns on the power (9!), Milo buckles his seat belt (8!), and on until 1! when with a zoom and a roar they BLAST OFF! The following spread details their 10-part trip itinerary which ends with a moon landing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609052089
Publisher:	Blue Apple Books
Publication date:	05/22/2012
Pages:	18
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Mike Austin is an award winning-illustrator and graphic designer. Originally from Pennsylvania, he now lives in Hawaii with his wife, illustrator Jing Jing Tsong, their two children, and a cat named Milo. His first digital children's book app A Present for Milo has garnered raves and recognition on NPR, USA TODAY and MSNBC. A Present for Milo is the recipient of both the Parents' Choice and Mom's Choice Awards. The author lives in Hawaii.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Mike Austin's digital children's book app, A Present for Milo:

"...a Next Gen version of a lift-the-flap Spot story, this digital cat-and-mouse chase features...hidden surprises in every scene." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Milo and his buddy, Mouse, are in a rocket ready to take off for the moon. The book is a lesson in counting backwards from ten until one, when the button for launch is pressed. The front of each tab shows two numbers, but the flip side depicts the full sequence up to that point. The repetition will really help kids learn their numbers. The adventure is fanciful and it becomes more evident on the final spreads when the rocket roars into space and then has encounters from one to ten with the sun, with a comet, repairing a satellite and finally reaching the moon. Once there, we have "One small step for Mouse and one giant leap for Milo." For those adults familiar with the first moon landing, the play on words may bring smiles. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Milo and Mouse have an out-of-this-world adventure. Cat and mouse buckle their seatbelts and head for the stars. The story focuses heavily on trip preparation. Mouse charts the course while Milo revs up the rocket. A vertical bar on the cover's edge provides a 10-second timeline that corresponds to specific actions within scenes and doubles as the countdown to takeoff. A bold "BLASTOFF!" in fiery orange against the royal blue sky depicts the rocket jetting off the page; smaller letters celebrate: "And away they go!" A maplike schematic depicts the steps of their journey, connecting the ambitious ("Visit Saturn!") to the outrageous ("Hello, Alien!") with more businesslike steps in between ("Discover new galaxies. Repair the satellite"). The final spread includes a nod to an American pioneer of the great beyond: "It's one small step for Mouse, / one giant leap for Milo!" Fine, frequently dotted lines and busy spreads gear this for toddlers and up. An amusing, imaginative launch into outer space. (Board book. 1-3)

Kirkus Reviews