If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Title: If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Author: Laura Numeroff

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: 1985

Number of pages:  40 pages

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Genre: Children's Picturebook

Summary: The story starts with a little boy eating cookies outside his house, he sees a mouse and wants to share his cookies with it. The mouse eats the cookie, then asks for a glass of milk, of course the boy gives him some milk, and the story goes on and on. The little mouse asking for more and more, the boy having a wonderful time following his new companion. From a napkin, to scissors to trim his hair, a broom to sweep up, and so on. And the wonderful, funny last page when the mouse asks for a glass of milk, but of course, if you give him a glass of milk the chances are that he will want a cookie to go with it, and we are right back to the start of the book.

My reaction: Not all children's books are created equal. What's nice about this book is that it's easy for beginning readers but yet enjoyable at the same time. That's not easy to find in children's books. With only about one sentence per page, it moves quickly, the children feel they are reading and not bogged down on one page.

Potential Problems: I don't see any potential problems.

My recommendation: This is one of in a series of books by this team. Others include If you give a Moose a Muffin, If you give a Pig a Pancake, If you take a Mouse to the Movies, If you take a Mouse to School and If you give a Pig a Party. All are as well done. I have noted in reading this book and others in the series that the kids love them and will always ask for repeat readings. I highly recommend this book for small children and beginning readers, and I guarantee that it will quickly become a family favorite.