Little Mouse's Big Secret

PreS-Gr 1—Mouse finds a delicious treat and buries it to keep it for himself. Over time, Squirrel, Bird, Turtle, Hedgehog, Rabbit, and Frog ask him, "What are you hiding?" and to each inquiry he replies: "It's my secret, and I'll never tell." What readers see and Mouse does not is that the buried treasure sprouts, grows taller with each page turn, and eventually matures into a fruit-laden tree. It is only when the apples fall to the ground, providing enough treats for everyone, that unsuspecting Mouse realizes that "sometimes…secrets are even better when you share them." Brief repetitive text on the bottom of the left page appears opposite the small oil paintings of Mouse and his friends on the bottom right. Behind both text and illustrations is a large expanse of soft, pale yellow ground that allows viewers to focus on the growing tree without distraction. One-on-one sharing of this charming story will afford young children the opportunity to chime in on the refrain and to revel in the realization that they know more than its tiny protagonist.—Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT