Two mice hitch a ride in a picnic basket and experience the colorful delights of summer, described in Thompson's evocative text: "Drippy, sweet, / wet, / red watermelon"; "Oh, so high, / bright / blue sky"; "Sweet-tart sip, / yellow / lemonade." Illustrations with rich colors and pleasingly rounded animal shapes give a mouse's-eye view of the summer day, which ends with a fireworks display.

In Mouse's latest adventure, Mouse's First Summer by Lauren Thompson, illus. by Buket Erdogan, the diminutive hero and pal Minka explore all aspects of a summer picnic, from red watermelon under the blue sky to the white, brown and purple of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The colorful day ends with a bright fireworks show at night.

PreS-Gr 1-As in the other books in the series, Thompson and Erdogan again draw readers into the joys of a simple frolic. Done in jewel-toned acrylics, the double-page paintings create a sumptuous backdrop for this sensory-rich adventure as Mouse and Minka go on a picnic and sample watermelon, roll in the grass, fly a kite, spill lemonade, and feast on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The poetic, spare text dabbles in alliteration, describing "Marching, munching, bold, black ants-" and "Tipsy-tumbly, tickly, green grass." A final proclamation-"Hooray for summer!"-tops off this delicious taste of the season for young listeners.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.