Mice Skating
By Annie Silvestro; Illustrations by Teagan White
(12 pages, children’s fiction, 2017)
I wish I could wrap this book around myself like a cozy woolen scarf! The story follows Lucy, an adventurous field mouse with a predilection for outdoor winter fun, as she tries to convince her friends to leave their snug winter burrow and experience the joys of the snowy outdoors. Lucy takes it upon herself to knit winter hats for each of her friends, and fashions several sets of tiny “mice skates” out of pine needles. Once Lucy’s fellow mice see how much fun she’s having skating on a frozen pond, they’re eager to try for themselves. The mice learn together that fun happens in all seasons, and is always better with friends.
This relatively simple story incorporates several valuable themes and lessons —including persistence in the face of peer pressure; an appreciation for nature in all seasons; leading by example; tenacity and resilience in the face of failure (when Lucy wobbles and falls, she keeps practicing until she’s a model skater); generosity and care for others; and the joy of friendship. Adults will appreciate the subtle cheese puns peppered throughout, and the beautiful font in which the text is printed. Readers of all ages will gravitate toward Teagan White’s gorgeous and whimsical illustrations. (I found her online portfolio, at teaganwhite.com, to be an absolute delight, and have definitely been converted to a card-carrying fan of her work.) Finally, I love the warm color scheme, which makes this story stand out in a sea of blue, white, and silver winter picture books and reflects the thematic warmth of the story itself.
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Faithe Miller Lakowicz
