School Library Journal (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

PreS-Gr 2 How does a mouse view a hippo? How does a hippo view a mouse? And, more important, can they be friends? This is an entertaining commentary on artistic perspective, but at heart, it's a comical story of friendship. Twohy uses India ink, watercolor, and felt pen to create cartoon depictions of a cheerful though slightly ratty-looking mouse and an equally jolly hippo. They meet unexpectedly when Mouse accidentally sets up his painting easel on Hippo's back. Extensive use of white space draws readers' attention to the action as the unlikely pair bond over a mishap and an appreciation of painting. The first-person dialogue is presented in two different fonts and colors to easily delineate which character is speaking. Similar to Claudia Rueda's Is It Big or Is It Little? , this offering showcases the concept of relative size but in a more plot-driven fashion. The action is straightforward and simple, but the subtle and humorous lesson in perspective makes this book suitable for school-age kids, too. VERDICT Cheerful characters will give this title shelf appeal and make it a storytime hit and a favorite for art teachers as well. Lisa Taylor, Jacksonville Public Library, FL

Horn Book

In this tale of two friends--and two portraits--Mouse offers to paint Hippo's portrait after Hippo rescues Mouse, and then Hippo reciprocates by painting Mouse's. There are sight gags and lively conversation, and the portraits capture their delighted subjects in comically abstract ways. Bright cartoon art with bold line-work using India ink, watercolor, and felt pens provides a visual narration for color-coded dialogue.

Kirkus Reviews

Two anthropomorphic animals meet unexpectedly and quickly become friends despite their differences.Mouse is placidly painting atop a rock when suddenly it shakes, and Mouse is thrown into the lake. Struggling and sputtering, Mouse is rescued by Hippo, the "rock." Grateful for the help and flattered by Hippo's praise, Mouse decides to paint a picture of Hippo. Hippo, inspired, returns the favor. Their enthusiasm for each other's extremely original, if unconventional, artistic efforts cements their friendship. The straightforward plot is conveyed entirely in dialogue with individualized typefaces and colors used to distinguish the speakers. This variation serves to emphasize the characters' physical differences (brown-furred Mouse's is spindly and brown; gray Hippo's is gray and chunky) as well as making it easy to follow the action. Although the story moves along briskly, Twohy effectively creates distinct—and distinctly charming—personalities for his characters through their speech. He also showcases their creativity and problem-solving without being in the least didactic. His crisp, cartoon-style illustrations complement and extend the humorous text. Bright colors, black outlines, and plenty of white space keep the focus squarely on his two protagonists. While there are plenty of picture books that feature unlikely friendships, young listeners will be pleased to make the acquaintance of these two cheerful creatures and, quite possibly, inspired to view the world in engaging new ways. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Twohy (Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run!) tells this warm friendship story entirely through dialogue, bolstered by airy, expressive mixed-media artwork. As the book opens, Mouse is seen contentedly painting at an easel on what appears to be a rock in the middle of a lake-but is actually the back of a submerged hippopotamus, who knocks Mouse into the water while attempting to scratch an itch. -Your itch was me... and... help... I can-t swim!- shouts Mouse, flailing in the water. After a quick rescue, a friendship springs up as Mouse offers to paint Hippo-s portrait. Hippo is thrilled with the result-a swath of gray that fills Mouse-s tiny canvas-and returns the favor with an equally droll portrait of Mouse. -You made me look so cute!- exclaims Mouse (the painting is a tiny black dot on a white background). It-s in no way a flashy story, but Twohy does a fine job of establishing his heroes- personalities while highlighting the rewards of opening one-s eyes to new experiences and friendships. Ages 4-8. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (Feb.)