BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

Heartwarming and delightful, the story brings readers right into the tiny mouse Bubble’s bedroom as her mother tucks her into bed. As the big sister to her “still-sort-of-new baby sister” Squeak, Bubble acts concerned for her sister’s nighttime needs and, through a series of questions phrased with Squeak in mind, Mom and Bubbles walk through all of the important rituals like checking the closet for monsters, making warm milk and reading bedtime stories. Although Bubbles seems to act with Squeak’s best interests at heart, slightly older readers will quickly guess by Bubble’s earnest questioning and facial expressions that she isn’t quite ready to give up the bedtime rituals with Mom. Banta’s full-page soft acrylic illustrations give Bubbles and Mom spunk, and playful endpapers with Bubble tumbling around in her jammies add to this tale’s appeal for intimate sharing at bedtime. (Picture book. 2-5)