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What's the Big Idea, Molly?

by Valeri Gorbachev
40p. 978-0-39925-428-4.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Molly Mouse has writer's block. She loves words, but none seem to come. She and her friends are trying to come up with the perfect gift for Turtle's birthday. Rabbit, Goose, Frog, and Pig all decide to draw a picture for him, and they all go off to where they do their best thinking. Molly sits on the porch, thinking. When each one returns with a picture of a tree, Molly comes up with a great idea. Together they create a book about the seasons, complete with Molly's new poem. Children will love this sweet story of friendship in which very different individuals are genuine in their efforts to please one another and work out problems with smiles and cooperation. Gorbachev's familiar watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations fill the spreads with soft, gentle artwork and priceless animal expressions and body language. Pig wears a pink frock, Goose favors a yellow and gray striped shirt, and Mouse is charming in red. A great idea for one-on-one sharing or a read-aloud.—Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
Mouse Molly returns--this time, to fret about what to give Turtle for his birthday. When her animal friends independently create nearly identical gifts (drawings of a tree), Molly saves the day by merging them into a book about the seasons. Gorbachev's watercolor and gouache illustrations, accented with ink, ably showcase his anthropomorphized animal cast and their bucolic setting.
Reviewed by Carolyn Janssen , Jul 01, 2010

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