Mouse Was Mad

Bear stomps. Hare hops. Bobcat screams. Mouse? He just can't get it right. But when he finds the way that works for him—still and quiet—he discovers that his own way might be the best of all.

Instead of stomping or screaming, Mouse stands very, very still. When Hedgehog asks if he is breathing, Mouse lets out a breath until air whistles through his nose. Bobcat tries to freeze beside him, but his ears twitch. Hare? His tail will not stop wiggling.

A deep breath? Bear only shakes the ground. Even Hedgehog cannot keep his bristles from bristling. Soon the whole crew stands together in the woods, breathing quietly until Mouse feels better.

Linda Urban's story about self-expression and managing anger is both sweet and sly, and Henry Cole's cast of animal friends is simply irresistible.

• Preschool Storytime: Rhythmic text and playful sounds like splish, splush, and sploosh make Mouse’s repeated tumbles into messy mud puddles fun to read aloud.
• Social Emotional Learning: Hedgehog demonstrates how to tuck in nose, feet, and hands into a perfect sphere, introducing young readers to creative ways animals manage their frustrations.
• Humorous Picture Books: Bear demonstrates how to shake the earth while Bobcat unleashes an ear-splitting scream, showing how ridiculous it looks when Mouse tries to imitate them.
• Also by This Author: A Crooked Kind of Perfect, The Center of Everything and Hound Dog True.