A MOUSE SO SMALL

Molly Mouse learns that while she might be small, being a good friend is what counts in the end.

As autumn arrives, little Molly Mouse worries that her friend Bear is going off to hibernate while he is still hungry. When she sees ripe blackberries on the bush, Molly knows that Bear would love them—but she’s too small to reach the berries. A friendly fox comes along and helps Molly. When she then struggles to carry the berries, a busy squirrel suggests putting them on a leaf. Even so, Molly is only able to get a single berry to Bear, and she still worries it won’t be enough to help her friend. “I wanted to bring you more, but I was too small to reach them, and too small to carry them, and too small to catch them when they rolled down the hill!” she laments. McAllister’s sweet tale will resonate with small children, and Pedler’s illustrations complement the soothing tone. Soft colors fill the meadow and forest scenes. Unfortunately, the animals' expressions are uniformly sweet. Even when Molly feels sad or frustrated, her expression rarely looks more than slightly concerned or surprised, and at one point she’s even smiling. Nonetheless, the final resolution shows two good friends sharing a quiet moment together watching the setting sun.

A cheerful story, but others tell it better and with more emotional power.