Karma Wilson

First sentence: In a big house lived a wee mouse named Mortimer. He dwelled in a dark hole under the stairs. Nobody ever noticed little Mortimer. And Mortimer liked it that way. But he didn't like his hole. "Too cold. Too cramped. Too creepy," squeaked Mortimer.

ETA: I've reread this one several times now. It is one I always find myself coming back to because it is a great example of how a picture book can include Christian themes without being too-much.

Premise/plot: Mortimer is in search of show more a new home, a better home. To his surprise, he finds such a home…easily. But it's a home filled with statues. There is even a statue of a baby of all things?! The baby is easily shoved OUT of the way. And Mortimer settles into a MOUSE-SIZE bed, happy at last. But will that happiness last? And why do the humans keep putting the statues back up day after day?!

My thoughts: When Mortimer encounters Jesus (Or "statue-baby-Jesus") for the first time, his response was quick: THERE'S NO ROOM FOR YOU HERE, OUT YOU GO. I think Mortimer's response is the natural human response to the actual Jesus. People may "have room" for baby Jesus a couple of days each December. Shoved in amongst other activities or festivities. But is there a place for Jesus in their actual lives, year round? Not just the baby Jesus, the harmless, inoffensive Jesus. But the born-to-die, Savior-Rescuer. (Jesus can't be squeezed into little corners, little pockets of our lives. He's the LORD of the universe. But I digress.)

Mortimer has a second encounter with Jesus. This time it's the Jesus of the Word. He overhears the family reading the Christmas story. He learns who Jesus is, he learns what Jesus came to do. This changes everything…for Mortimer. Jesus must come. He must go. They can't both sleep in the manger. And Mortimer surrenders what was never really "his" to Jesus. He also offers up a prayer.

The story has a happy ending because the family has been busy making a gingerbread house. Of course Mortimer thinks it's a direct answer to his prayers! show less

Lewis the mouse loved his cozy home in the tiny hole at the base of a tall tree. Prepared for winter's coming, he had just settled down when he heard a "Scritch Scratch Tap Tap." Imagining all the terrifying things it might be, from an owl to a bear, he used his biggest, most intimidating voice to shout: "Who Goes There? Who Could It Be? / Who Scritches and Scratches and Taps At My Tree?" After receiving no answer on three separate occasions, he worked up his courage, and went to show more investigate, finding that the source of the noise was the very thing he'd been missing: another mouse, named Joy...

Well known for her engaging animal stories, particularly her series of tales about Bear (Bear Snores On, Bear Wants More, etc.), author Karma Wilson, together with illustrator Anna Currey, delivers an entertaining picture-book with Who Goes There? Lewis is an appealing little murine hero, and young children will undoubtedly feel the tension building, as he continually wonders who could be making those noises. His poetic refrain contrasts nicely with the main text, which is in prose. The artwork, done in pen and ink and watercolor, is colorful and cute, ably capturing Lewis' changing expressions. Recommended to all young animal lovers, and to anyone looking for the perfect story for a blustery late fall/early winter day. show less

Murine worrywart Mr. Murray, and happy-go-lucky free spirit Thumbkin, find themselves next-door-neighbors in this endearing picture-book, one living in a tidy teapot, the other in a large (and slowly decaying) pumpkin. As Mr. Murray worries about what Thumbkin will do, when his house falls apart around him, his neighbor sits back and relaxes, or, in a rare moment of industry, makes pumpkin cake out of a piece of his own home. When the inevitable finally happens, Mr. Murray has a solution - show more one that will benefit both mice...

Karma Wilson's tale, told in rhyming verse, is a contemporary take on the classic Aesopic fable of The Ant and the Grasshopper, with a much less grim outcome for the "grasshopper," and would make an admirable story-hour selection. The colored pencil illustrations by Ard Hoyt - whose other picture-book credits include John Lithgow's I'm a Manatee and Laurie Halse Anderson's The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School - capture the fun of the story, and the very different personalities of its two stars. I don't know that I felt as strongly about Mr. Murray and Thumbkin as the friend who recommended it to me, but I definitely found it a winsome little title, perfect for fall reading! show less

This one I LIKE. Strong, infectious rhymes, blocky, colorful pictures with lots of strong lines and humor;, this is going to be a storytime favorite for a long time. I'm glad I ordered it for the library.

As the farmer feeds each animal, children learn what the horse, chickens, geese, pigs, and the dog love to eat. But, the cow has a special love and in a sweet and funny surprise ending, we find out she's not the only one! The building and repetition of the swinging rhymes crys out for music show more - someone get a tune for this so we can have a rousing chorus in storytime!

Hall's illustrations show a rather old-fashioned family farm, but there's nothing wrong with that. His animals have strong curves and swooping necks and the background is filled with comfortable, familiar farm images and pleasant vistas. His Santa-ish farmer exuberantly moves from chore to chore, always followed by the long and clever tongued brown cow. The type and design are very readable and easy to follow along for beginning readers. I did think the final joke on the last page was a little unnecessary, but that's a minor quibble.

This book probably won't ever win huge awards (and I'm not saying anything about the Cybils, etc. etc.) but it's the type of book that parents and children will delight in and remember long after their childhood is over. The kind of book that librarians 20 years from now will be getting regular stumpers for from young adults and parents eager to recapture a childhood memory or introduce their own children to a beloved book.

Verdict: A must-have for your library and storytime collection. show less