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Summary
Summary
A nutty and clever buddy story that celebrates cooperation, perfect for fans of Duck and Goose.
Meet Mouse and Chipmunk, two young rodents who want the same thing-a big, beautiful nut! But who deserves it more? After all, Chipmunk and the Nut read together and lie in the grass and stare at the clouds. Chipmunk wants that nut! And Mouse and the Nut play tic-tac-toe and have a dance party together. Mouse also wants that nut!
But then Squirrel comes along and claims the Nut for his own. What's a rodent to do?
"A winning combination of words and pictures for beginning readers and listeners."-- Kirkus , Starred review
"While giggling over Mouse and Chipmunk's antics, readers will easily relate to the way they vacillate between selfishness and selflessness, and Valentine's watercolor forest, awash in browns and greens, is an inviting place to learn about sharing and friendship. Who knew inanimate friends could be so rewarding?"-- Publishers Weekly , Starred review
"Streamlined text in short big-print sentences with dialogue in speech balloons is friendly to beginning readers as well as readers-aloud, and the flights of fancy into each critter's friendship with the nut are highly giggleworthy."-- The Bulletin
"Expertly drawn and designed to keep the action moving as tails fly off the page. This book quietly introduces the topics of sharing and friendship by example, echoing the voice of young children."-- School Library Journal
Author Notes
Madeline Valentine grew up in Brooklyn and received a BFA from Pratt Institute in 2007. She has illustrated many children's books, and is also the author-illustrator of George in the Dark and The Bad Birthday Idea. She currently lives in Queens with her husband and son. To learn more about Madeline, visit her website at MadelineValentine.com.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Friendship can be wonderful, but it is not always predictable. When a very large, beautiful nut unexpectedly lands in their play space, Mouse and Chipmunk secretly covet it, and the result threatens their close relationship. Back and forth, each steals the treasure from the other and spends individual playtime with the nut, until the rightful owner makes his claim. Illustrations of digitalized watercolor and pencil portray Mouse and Chipmunk each participating in a variety of activity with the nut, such as reading, playing in the grass, sitting down to tea, having a game of tic-tac-toe, napping, and taking part in a private dance party. Images that vary in size from full-page illustrations to small cells accentuate the cartoon action, expertly drawn and designed to keep the action moving as tails fly off the page with each snatch. Speech bubbles highlight humorous text-a running conversation about possession of Nut, ending with an eventual admission of guilt on both sides as a shared substitute treasure brings Chipmunk and Mouse back together. Young children may identify with Mouse and Chipmunk and how their yearning to possess something can overshadow what is truly important. VERDICT A first buy for all libraries, especially schools emphasizing social-emotional relationships, this book quietly introduces the topics of sharing and friendship by example, echoing the voice of young children.-Mary Elam, Learning -Media Services, Plano ISD, TX © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
When a "big, beautiful Nut" appears out of nowhere, Mouse and Chipmunk are instantly smitten. The friends are initially polite-in speech balloons stacked like a text message exchange, each insists the other take the acorn-before Chipmunk runs off with it. After an awkward tea for three, Mouse snatches the nut, and the battle is on. Valentine (Little Red Henry) hilariously alternates between joyful scenes of each friend enjoying the nut's company (dance parties are involved) and spreads that reveal the lengths to which they will go to reclaim the nut. Just as the conflict comes to a head, the nut's actual owner appears, forcing the friends to reflect on how they nearly let an acorn come between them. (Luckily, a log is nearby, ready to jump-start a new three-way friendship.) While giggling over Mouse and Chipmunk's antics, readers will easily relate to the way they vacillate between selfishness and selflessness, and Valentine's watercolor forest, awash in browns and greens, is an inviting place to learn about sharing and friendship. Who knew inanimate friends could be so rewarding? Ages 3-7. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Mouse and Chipmunk are playing together when an acorn falls to the ground nearby. After politely deferring to each other for a bit (You take it No, you take it), Chipmunk carries the Nut home and begins spending all his time with it. Paying Chipmunk a friendly visit, Mouse grabs the Nut, takes it home, and spends all his time with it. When Mouse and Chipmunk bicker over the Nut, a big squirrel seizes it, claiming it as his own. The two friends apologize to each other, and finding a choice log, they try a new idea: sharing. OK, maybe it's not a new idea, but the illustrations present Chipmunk and Mouse's dilemma with such humor that in the end, few kids could argue against sharing as the best option. Valentine's pencil-and-watercolor artwork, digitally arranged and tweaked, captures the characters' shifting emotions to perfection. Adults as well as kids will savor the tea-party scene, in which polite-but-cagey Mouse swipes the Nut from polite-but-haughty Chipmunk. A picture book with dramatic twists and a happy ending.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2017 Booklist