Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole (reader)

by Wong Herbert Yee

Overview

“Delightful. . . . A real winner.”—School Library Journal “The friendly, cooperative tone of the text is reminiscent of the Frog and Toad series.”—Kirkus Reviews “Yee’s comfy beginning reader (dedicated to ‘Friends of Frog and Toad’) . . . packs in plenty of sweetness and civility.”—Publishers Weekly

Mouse and Mole are neighbors.
Mouse lives inside an oak tree, and Mole lives in a hole underneath.
They are neighbors, but they are also friends.
Sometimes friends make mistakes—but they always try to help each other out. That is what Mouse and Mole do.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618915866
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	10/22/2007
Series:	A Mouse and Mole Story Series
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	25,861
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	510L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Wong Herbert Yee lives in Michigan, where he writes and illustrates books for children including the Mouse and Mole series and the Fireman Small series. For a complete list of books by Wong Herbert Yee, visit www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com. For more information about Wong, visit his Web site at http://hometown.aol.com/wongherbertyee/

Editorial Reviews

Yee's (Fireman Small) comfy beginning reader (dedicated to "Friends of Frog and Toad") focuses on Mouse and Mole and packs in plenty of sweetness and civility. All four stories show the pair learning how friends must accommodate each other's limitations and desires. Each turn of the page contains as many as four pen, watercolor and colored pencil spot illustrations that cheerfully animate the simply plotted tales. When downstairs Mole has to sweep his house twice because upstairs Mouse has a hole in her floor, they agree to sweep each others' houses together to save "half the time." When they take turns inviting each other over for dinner, Mouse bumps into things in Mole's damp, dark house, while Mole, blinded by the bright sunshine, is also knocked off his chair by the odor of Limburger cheese. The characters speak with a kind of charming Victorian formality. When Mole presents Mouse with a present (a candle for her next visit to Mole's), Mole says, "This is for you.... I hope you don't think me a thoughtless neighbor." The tone of their speech fits both the gentle characters and the leisurely pace of their affable stories. Ages 5-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Mouse and Mole are neighbors in an old oak tree but more importantly, they are good friends. Mouse lives upstairs inside the tree's trunk, while Mole lives downstairs in a hole beneath the tree's roots. This collection of four short, sweet stories is sure to charm youngsters and teach some very valuable lessons. Our first story is all about cooperation and teamwork. Both Mouse and Mole like to keep their homes neat and tidy. The problem is, when Mouse does her daily sweeping the dirt flutters down between the floorboards, right into Moles' living room. But as friends always should, Mouse and Mole come up with a solution that pleases everyone. They are so pleased, in fact, that they decide to plant a garden together. In our next two tales Mole and Mouse decide to have a little get-together to celebrate their new garden project. Things go awry, however, because neither one of them has considered the preferences of the other. Mole and Mouse realize they have very different tastes in food and lifestyle. After both of them acknowledge they were a little bit selfish when planning their parties, they each make things right in a very amusing way. The last story takes the friends out on the pond when Mole surprises Mouse with a boat. While they are thrilled to go out onto the pond, they are a bit concerned that they only have one paddle. In an effort to conserve energy, they take turns paddling but still find it very tiring. Mouse is very touched by Mole's gesture with the boat and buys him a gift that will make both of their lives a little bit easier. All of the stories in this title are illustrated versions of real-life scenarios. Children will enjoy reading about these adventures while learninghow to be a good friend and do the right thing. The illustrations are endearing as well bursting with color in the whimsical watercolors by Yee. This book is sure to delight. 2005, Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 4 to 7.
—Emily Cook

Children's Literature

K-Gr 3-Aptly dedicated to "Friends of Frog and Toad," this delightful beginning reader introduces two endearing neighbors. In the first chapter, Mouse inadvertently sends all her dirt cascading onto Mole's pristine floor when she sweeps. When he confronts her, they learn that with a bit of ingenuity and cooperation, they can clean both floors and still have time to plant a garden. In "The Invitations," the new friends attempt to share a meal, but their innate differences-Mole likes his house damp and dark and eats worms, Mouse likes the warm sun and prefers cheese-make it impossible. Next, the animals find clever ways to reconcile their dissimilarities: Mole presents Mouse with some candles to use when she visits, and she gives him a pair of sunglasses. In the final entry, Mole surprises Mouse with a rowboat. Although it's missing an oar, they manage to have fun. The next day, Mouse has a surprise of her own-a new paddle to make "A pair-like you and me!" The expressive bamboo-pen and watercolor with colored-pencil illustrations capture the humor of the situations as well as the emotions of the characters. With its controlled vocabulary, repetition, and humor, this tale of friendship also introduces opposites, homophones, and letter writing. A real winner.-Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

The creator of the Fireman Small series introduces a new pair of characters: a female mouse and a male mole who are neighbors in the same tree. Mouse lives in the sunny upstairs apartment, while Mole, appropriately enough, lives in the much darker downstairs flat. In four short chapters, Mouse and Mole explore and solidify their friendship through cooperation and acceptance of their differences. They clean their apartments together, plant a garden, entertain each other at lunch and learn by trial and error how to paddle a boat. Lots of small illustrations done in pen and watercolor with colored pencil help to bring the main characters to life. Though the work is not specifically designated as an early reader, the large type size and short chapter format make this suitable for newly independent readers who are making the transition from early readers to beginning chapter books. The friendly, cooperative tone of the text is reminiscent of the Frog and Toad series, and in fact, the work is dedicated to "friends of Frog and Toad." (Easy reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"The expressive bamboo-pen and watercolor with colored-pencil illustrations capture the humor of the situations as well as the emotions of the characters. With its controlled vocabulary, repetition, and humor, this tale of friendship also introduces opposites, homophones, and letter writing. A real winner." –School Library journal School Library Journal

"Kids will become more proficient at reading and also come away with a lesson in friendship." ––Booklist Booklist, ALA

From the Publisher