Who Goes There?

"My nest is warm," thinks Lewis the mouse, sitting all alone in his furnished tree hole as winter approaches. "My nest is cozy. But something is missing. What could it be?" The answer, most readers will readily guess, is companionship, which materializes in the form of a friendly mouse named Joy at story's end. It's a surprisingly slight and familiar tale from Wilson (Bear Says Thanks), built on a rather creaky structure of strange noises--"scritch scratch tap tap tap"--and mistaken perceptions: the sounds that Lewis think are harbingers of a fierce predator are actually Joy building a nest on another side of the tree. Meanwhile, the "bellowing" that Joy believes is an equally "enormous and frightful" creature is just Lewis's attempt to defend life and limb from imagined dangers. While steady tension pulls the story forward, it's really more of a showcase for Currey's (When the World Was Waiting for You) handsome watercolor-and-ink drawings, which portray both actual nature and anthropomorphized animal life in the classic British style. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Shannon Associates. (Oct.)

K-Gr 2--Lewis Mouse knows winter is coming so he readies his small home in the bottom of a big tree. Once the critter settles in, he hears scratching and tapping outside his door. Lewis imagines it's an owl, but when he looks out he sees nothing. When he's in bed, he hears the sounds again, but once more sees nothing outside his door. This time Lewis imagines it's a big cat. Too wound up to sleep, he fixes himself a cup of tea and tries to relax. But again, he's interrupted by the scary sounds. Lewis's imagination tells him it's a bear this time, but he's had enough. He grabs a lantern and heads outside. On the other side of his tree, he encounters a mouse named Joy. She tells him she's been hearing horrible shouting coming through the walls of her house. They discover they are sharing the same tree. Lewis invites Joy over for tea, and the last scene depicts a happy ending. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are delicate and sweet, making them a perfect match for the story. There are lots of fall colors, and Lewis's imagined frights are cast in ominous blue/gray tones. A pleasing selection for autumn storytimes.--Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI