Mouse Was Mad

Author: Linda Urban

Illustrator: Henry Cole

Publishing information: (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, May 4, 2009, Ages 4-8)

Number of Pages: 40 pages

Genre: Picture

Summary of Plot:

            This story is about a mouse who is mad for some reason. He tried to hop it out, but the hare showed him his err, and trying to hop like the hare, he fell into a mud puddle. Then he became stomping mad, but the bear showed him that he could make the ground shake, and trying the mouse rolled into another mud puddle. It continued with attempting to scream like a bobcat, and rolling on the ground like hedgehog. He failed on all those attempts. He found his own strength being standing still mad, the other animals were impressed. He learned that he wasn’t mad anymore, so he took a bath.

My Reaction to the book:

            I found this book kind of funny. I laughed at his attempts to show his anger. I liked the fact that in the end, he found success in being standing-still mad, he was good at controlling his breathing. I think that is a good message. We do not need to show we are mad, we can just control our anger until it is no longer there.

                                               

Potential Problems:

Showing anger in big ways

           

Recommendations:

            This is a fun book for any child. I really enjoyed the pictures; they looked like they were done by colored pencil. It can be used to help teach children how to control their anger, more effectively than letting it show.