As Quiet as a Mouse by Karen Owen and Evgenia Golubeva
| As Quiet as a Mouse by Karen Owen and Evgenia Golubeva | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Sam Tyler
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| Summary: Edgar is loud and this is not a good thing with a new baby in the house; he's also an elephant. Join him as he starts Mouse School in an attempt to become quiet in this fun book that has some important lessons to teach. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2015 |
| Publisher: Maverick Arts Publishing | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 9781848861725 | |
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There are a whole host of things that Elephants are excellent at; they reportedly never forget and they can hold loads of water in their trunk. One thing they are not known for is being quiet. However, their erstwhile natural enemy, the mouse is – hence someone is as quiet as a mouse. Can these two great animal tribes put aside their differences so that you can teach a nelly to tread carefully?
This is exactly what Edgar is after, he is an Elephant, but he is also a new big brother. His tramping and stamping around the house is no longer appreciated by his mother as it wakes the baby. Therefore, Ed asks the help of his mouse friend Ruby and they enrol in Mouse School to learn the art of remaining silent underfoot. Can Edgar overcome his natural compulsion to be loud?
The best type of educational children's book wraps up a lesson in a way that a child will not know they are being taught. Any parent who has a small child and another on the way is aware that the older child may be a little jealous when the baby arrives. Teaching a toddler to be careful around a baby is not easy and Karen Owen's As Quiet as a Mouse may just help as it weaves looking after your baby sister/brother into a fun story.
Enrolling Edgar into a Mouse School is a fun idea that appeals to a child's sense of the absurd. Watching him work alongside Ruby to try and carefully step over obstacles without a sound is great fun. Illustrator Evgenia Golubeva does a great job of showing off Owen's story, especially in the double spread pages that see Edgar undertaking numerous challenging tasks. The book is also very sweet natured as the happy ending means that all the perseverance that Edgar put into learning pays off – yet another lesson worth teaching.
The story is great and the fact that it suggests that being careful around a baby is a real bonus. The entire purpose behind the book is Edgar doing something nice for his sister and mum, a sweet idea that should be encouraged. The pleasant nature of the book is reflected in the illustrations. Golubeva uses a nice washed canvas of colours and hides geometric shapes in the drawings. This is a great way of drawing a toddler's eye, but also lets you play spot the shape.
With the fun story, numerous lessons, bright colours and shapes – there is a lot in As Quiet as a Mouse to enjoy. It stands up on its own as a great book, but for a parent who is expecting another child, it is ideal reading material to share with your current child/children as a way of introducing what behaviour is expected now that a vulnerable baby is on the way.
Elephants are a perennial children's book favourite; try Elephant Pants by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and David Wojtowycz, but other animals can also teach how to look after a new baby; The Bear with Sticky Paws and the New Baby by Clara Vulliamy.
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You can read more book reviews or buy As Quiet as a Mouse by Karen Owen and Evgenia Golubeva at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy As Quiet as a Mouse by Karen Owen and Evgenia Golubeva at Amazon.com.
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