Title: Need a House? Call Ms Mouse!
Author: George Mendoza
Illustrator: Doris Susan Smith
Published: November 1 2022
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Readership: Children (Picturebook)
Rating: ★★★★
RRP: $24.99
I received a copy of Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! from the publishers for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A charming and popular children’s classic about an industrious architect mouse, brought to life for a new generation.
All the animals want to live in a house designed by Henrietta, because she is the only mouse in the world who understands exactly what makes a squirrel or a rabbit, a caterpillar or a frog feel at home.
This exquisitely illustrated love song to creativity will fast become a household favourite.
What a charming little picturebook this one is!
Henrietta is a mouse – and an artist and architect – who designs homes for other animals. Each double-page spread in the book is dedicated to one animal who’s requested Henrietta’s assistance in making their house a home, and the designs are a feast for the eyes.
At first glance, this is a relatively straight-forward book – each page features a paragraph on the animal and its needs/wants for its homes and a two-page illustration showing a cut-away of the inside and outside of the home Henrietta designs. A huge part of the book, though, is in the incredible designs and the details on each and every page. You could spend ages just looking a the details included in every room. There are above ground homes, underground homes, below sea-level homes and in-the-trees-homes and all of them are a lot of fun to explore.
This is a book for those who love to look for tiny details. It’s also a great book to use for conversations and as writing prompts.
It was a delight to get to explore this wonderful picturebook.
Noveltea Corner 