ALA Booklist

The TOON imprint, which already boasts an impressive lineup of respected comics artists, adds another heavy hitter with this offering by the much-beloved creator of the all-ages graphic adventure Bone. Although all TOON books feature simple story lines designed for beginning readers, this one may have the simplest yet: a wee mouse gets dressed. Each step om checking to make sure the tag in the undies is in the back, to sitting down to put on pants, to the trickier maneuvers involved in buttoning a shirt mes with built-in challenges that are given all due consideration and brightened by touches of gentle humor. Smith's deceptively simple style is a terrific match for a young audience e- or two-panel pages that are elegant, lighthearted, and touching all at once d a knock-your-socks-off twist at the end will leave children giggling. As a dual treat, the subject matter encourages the empowering activity of dressing oneself at the same time that its medium helps build visual comprehension and reading confidence.

Horn Book

Little Mouse prepares for a trip to the barn by painstakingly putting on his clothes--underpants, socks, pants, shoes, and shirt (pesky buttons and all). His running commentary will reassure youngsters still intimidated by the task of dressing themselves, while the closing twist--"mice don't wear clothes!" says Mama--keeps everything light. Spacious, dynamic illustrations focus squarely on the pint-sized protagonist.

Kirkus Reviews

Move over, Froggy; Little Mouse is here to show the picture-book set how to get dressed. It's time to go to the barn; Little Mouse is excited, but first he must get ready. "Underpants are EASY to put on... / Just be sure to get your tail in the tail hole!" Socks, pants, boots and shirt with difficult buttons follow. Through it all, Little Mouse talks about all the fun things to do in the barn, like eating seeds and oats from the ground and swimming in the cow's water. Little Mouse is so proud of having dressed himself...until Mama comes back to ask what he's doing. She looks him over and says, "Well...mice don't wear clothes!" That literally knocks Little Mouse's socks (and everything else) off. With his first book for the very young, Smith, creator of the beloved and award-winning BONE graphic novels, adds another strong entry into Toon Book's fledgling series of hybrid comics/early readers. The big friendly panels in autumn pastels and the silly twist ending will have emergent readers going straight back to the first page over and over. (Graphic early reader. 3-6)

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

Smith's (the Bone series) crisply drafted style smoothly fuses graphic novel and picture book. Excited about Mama's invitation to go to the barn (“If we're <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">good, Mama will let us swim in the cow's water!”), Little Mouse hurries to get ready to join his family. Every step of the getting dressed routine is closely examined (“Underpants are <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">easy to put on...” says Little Mouse, wriggling into a tiny pair of briefs. “Just be sure to get your tail in the tail hole!”). He masters the technical problems of snaps and buttons, then discovers that in his excitement he's forgotten a vital fact: “mice <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">don't wear clothes!” his mother reminds him. He's so shocked that his clothing bursts off him like fireworks. When he's unclothed, Little Mouse huddles like a furry creature, and when he's clothed, he stands on his own two feet—a useful visual metaphor for the oscillating feelings of independence younger children experience. The hero is an arresting blend of cute and tough, and his evident glee and determination will bolster the confidence of those who <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">do have to wear clothing. Ages 4–up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1 Little Mouse is eager to go to the barn with his mother. He slowly and methodically gets dressed, which is quite an accomplishment for the little guy, only to be reminded, in classic noodlehead fashion, that mice dont wear clothes. Kids will love the idea that there were teeny tiny unnecessary clothes ready for him to put on, and that he forgets all the way through his struggles. The cartoon illustrations are large and uncomplicated without being babyish, and the punch line is preceded with places for knowing giggles. Sarah Provence, Churchill Road Elementary School, McLean, VA