Review - King Mouse

King Mouse
by Cary Fagan
illustrated by Dena Seiferling
Date: 2019
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

King Mouse finds his authority in question when his subjects find crowns of their own. A gentle and humorous modern fable about imaginative play and kindness in the tradition of classics like Little Bear and Frog and Toad.

A sweet, thoughtful tale of friendship, sharing and play, King Mouse begins when a mouse comes upon a tiny crown in the grass. The mouse puts the crown on his head, and when a bear subsequently comes upon him and asks if he's king, the mouse responds "Yes."

This diminutive monarch settles into his new role very comfortably . . . until a snake comes upon a crown and claims she is queen. The mouse is not amused, especially when one by one the other animals find crowns and claim they are kings too. But when the bear can't find a crown, King Mouse make a most surprising decision.

This inspired collaboration between an award-winning author and debut picture book illustrator Dena Seiferling is quietly profound in its simplicity and has the feeling of a modern classic.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This picture book explores leadership and friendship, with a sweet message about inclusion.

One day, a mouse finds a tiny crown in the grass. He puts it on, and when a bear comes along and asks him if he's a king, he replies in the affirmative. It isn't long before the other animals are finding food for their king and trying to keep him entertained. But then a snake finds another crown and decides she's a queen. And then the other animals find their own crowns, and everyone gets to be a king or queen. Everyone, that is, except for the bear. He can't find a crown, and feels left out... so he wanders off by himself, leaving the others to play their game of royalty. But the mouse finds him, and figures out a way to make him feel better, solidifying their friendship and showing that being king (or queen) isn't the most important thing.

It's a simple story, but I enjoyed it. The illustrations--monochromatic, for the most part; the colour is very subtle--have a gentle look to them. Even the snake is kind of appealing and not very scary (although, I was a bit worried for the mouse when she came on the scene).

This is a sweet little picture book. The soft text and friendly message make me think this would be a great bedtime read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5