Creep Through the House with Little Bitty Mousie

Little Bittie Mousie by Jim Aylesworth and Michael Hague

An unconventional alphabet book with a tiny-sized view of the world is Little Bitty Mousie, by Jim Aylesworth and Michael Hague. For story time presenters and lap reading alike, this book has much to hold a child's interest.

A white mouse with over-sized pink ears and a blue and white polka-dot pinafore dress wanders through an unkempt kitchen that looks as if it stepped right out of the 1950s. From a mouse-sized viewpoint, a mountain of unwashed dishes becomes a towering feast of leftovers, and a chocolate cake missing a wedge is a bigger-than life morsel. Little Bitty Mousie appears to be the queen of the castle, until she encounters an unwelcome presence at the end of the story.

Like many alphabet books, this one has rhyming text, which make this book fun and easy to read aloud. But unlike most other books in this genre, this book also offers a surprise ending and a reason for the little mouse to run, run, run away. I liked the unusual 1950s color choices used in the illustrations, and the humorous and sometimes unsettling jab at poor housekeeping practices. Jim Aylesworth clearly wasn't visiting Martha when he dreamed up this delightful  little wonder.