ANNIE AND BO AND THE BIG SURPRISE

Partridge’s (Oranges on Golden Mountain, p. 56, etc.) story is sweet and gentle and, if it is not highly (or even remotely) original, it will give beginning readers some fast-clipping exercise. The tale, crowned by Weston’s (Owen Foote, Super Spy, p. 1424, etc.) affectionate illustrations, revolves around the efforts of a mouse, Bo, to surprise his friend Annie with a present of his own making. Moved by the beauty of the moon glowing in the winter night’s sky, Bo decides to bake a “full moon cake” for Annie. The cake is just ready to come out of the oven when Annie appears at Bo’s door wanting to go skating. When he can’t stall her any longer, “Bo ran out and slammed the door behind him. He smiled at Annie. It was a great big smile. It was a fake smile. Bo couldn’t fool his best friend. ‘Bo,’ said Annie. ‘What are you hiding?’ ” He admits it’s a surprise, but keeps the secret close. After he rushes home from the skating pond to get the present, Annie begins to worry why he is taking so long. She runs into him in the woods making his way to her house. Since it’s dark, and he was throwing a scary shadow, and she was relieved to see him, Annie gives him a big hug. Bo dumps the cake. Wisely, Annie gets some forks and they tuck in. It’s fun having friends no matter what the circumstances, and part of that fun could be reading this together, with its voice parts—veritable bursts of prose—for an amiable duet. (Easy reader. 5-8)