BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON

There’s no place like home and the coziness of your own familiar bed, as Mother Mouse and Little Mouse both learn in this comforting bedtime tale. Just as Mother puts Little Mouse to bed, Mole stumbles up, saying that Little Mouse’s bed is threatened by the farmer’s plow. So begins Mother’s search for the perfect bed. Mole’s suggestion of underground is too dark; Owl’s idea of a tree is too high; and Duck’s bed of reeds is too damp. Under a beautiful full moon, Mother thinks back to her own childhood and the home she has always known in the field, protected in the lee of a big tree. She carries sleepy Little Mouse back to his bed, which is just right. Hansen’s watercolor illustrations set the perfect tone for somnolence with soft, soothing shades of greens, blues and browns. Readers are treated to a mouse-eye view, with everything seeming larger-than-life to the small rodents. A softly flocked and glittery moon and stars add appeal for the youngest listeners. A gentle way to lure children to their own “just right” bed. (Picture book. 3-7)