About the Book and Author and Illustrator
We were delighted to receive this book containing three whimsical Mouse and Mole stories that highlight the joy in everyday life. The stories are cleverly observant of human relationships and the ‘give and take’ dynamics that are important for functionality, often requiring humour and acceptance of each other’s imperfections. We are sure that the detailed illustrated will have young children pouring over them as they listen to the domestic scenarios involving these two close friends.
Clink, Clank, Clunk! Mouse hears a lot of noice coming from outside the shed. It is Mole, tinkering with the motorbike, but Mole gets stuck and doesn’t know how to put it back together. How will they get the bike to work again?
Something on the Roof Once day Mole is concerned that something is living on their roof, having discovered some moss. But Mouse helps Mole realise there is nothing to fear.
A Frisky, Fluttery Ghost A confused Mole wakes up to see Mouse being confronted by a ghost! Little does he know, it’s just the washing hanging on the line.
Joyce Dunbar is best known for her lively and quirky picture books stories, with their wide emotional range. The Guardian has named her as ‘one of the best writers for children today’ with praise for her ‘sensitivity, lyrical style and gentle humour’. She revels in the joy of language, the playfulness of words, and in seeing her work fabulously brought to life by world-class illustrators including her daughter Polly Dunbar. Many of her stories have been dramatised for the stage and as puppet shows, with Longnosepuppets and Norwich Puppet Theatre.
James Mayhew is an acclaimed illustrator, author, concert presenter and storyteller. His publications with Graffeg include The Knight Who Took All Day (adapted as a work for narrator and orchestra by Bernard Hughes), the Gaspard series with Zeb Soanes, Koshka’s Tales – Stories from Russia and illustrations for the Mouse and Mole series by Joyce Dunbar, animated for television with the voices of Alan Bennett and Richard Briers. He is also the creator of the Katie art books and Ella Bella Ballerina series.He has worked with many orchestras and musicians including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, painting illustrations live on stage to performances of classical music, including The Firebird, Scheherazade and Pictures at an Exhibition. James was awarded the 1994 New York Times prize for illustration.
Book Review
It was a lovely book to curl up with at bedtime and read together
Edith loved this book and the fact that it was made up of 3 different stories meant we got to enjoy reading the book over a few nights. It’s beautifully illustrated and was a pleasure to read and we enjoyed reading the stories and looking at the pictures together.
Edith said “Mummy Mole worries a lot like me and you are like Mouse as you always tell me everything will be okay” She really understood the concept of the stories and identified with the characters, which was great. It was a lovely book to curl up with at bedtime and read together, we both throughly enjoyed this book and it has been added to the bedtime story bookshelf in Edith bedroom.
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Reviewer Profile
- Name: Edith
- Age: 5 years
- Likes: swimming, unicorns and rainbows
- Dislikes: the dark, pancakes and loud noises
- Favourite Book: The Dinosaur that Pooped by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter
- Favourite Song: Let it Go from Frozen
- Favourite Film: Frozen
