Starred Review ALA Booklist (Wed May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

Starred Review A young child thinks her mother's affectionate nickname for her e book's title funny because she is as tall as a giraffe, strong as a bull, and brave as a lion. And she is ready to prove it. Murray's amusing, energetic illustrations, with minimal background detail, take every opportunity to show all of the girl's buoyancy, whether out-trumpeting an elephant or waddling like a penguin. And the text is equally active, with verbs like chomp, stomp, zoom, and splash dotting the pages. There are also some amusing animal sounds, including a hiccup, which will be fun to try in read-alouds. Little Mouse is accompanied by a real mouse on every page, often appearing only to the most discerning eye, and its final appearance as the pattern on pj's adds to the book's delight. Finally, the story comes full cuddle, beginning in a big stuffed chair with Mom and ending with a carry up to bed. Readers will see that the animals r now e toys, but they are at the ready for future imaginings. Previously depicted only in profile, the child, now shown head-on, admits that she is her mommy's little mouse least at bedtime. Sprightly and sweet, a winning combination.

Horn Book (Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

A little girl doesn't feel like her mommy's "little mouse"; she's as tall as a giraffe, as strong as an ox, as brave as a lion. But when it's bedtime ("quiet and cozy"), her nickname suits her just fine. Murray's animal-filled illustrations, with their retro feel and bold lines and colors, expand the story and showcase the little girl's imagination.

Kirkus Reviews

Murray captures a young girl's changing moods—from feeling big and bold to little and cuddly—in this playful, empathetic story. Mommy sometimes calls her daughter little mouse, which amuses the spirited child because her self-perception is that she's strong as an ox and brave as a lion and that she can howl like a wolf. But when bedtime nears and the sprightly child gets sleepy, she is more than happy to curl up in her mother's arms and be that little mouse. Friendly animals populate both the pages and the girl's imagination as the artist implies similes: The protagonist stomps in front of a bear, waddles beside a penguin and trumpets with an elephant. Attractive backgrounds, done in a pleasing pastel palette, showcase Murray's textile-design training. However, the artist's digital work, done to look like the gouache illustrations of a bygone era, lack the depth and richness classic illustrators like Richard Scarry, Gyo Fujikawa or Mary Blair offered. As with so much digital art, the computer here produces a certain feeling of sameness in the illustrations (the child's face is depicted in only profile or full, frontal view, for instance). Despite this, it is a charming bedtime tale, accessible and winsome and a delight for little readers anytime. Youngsters will clamor for more as they climb into a lap and ask to also be called their mommy's little mouse. (Picture book. 3-6)

School Library Journal (Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2013)

PreS A little redhead, sitting in her mother's lap before bedtime, informs readers that when she is quiet, her mommy calls her a "little mouse." However, like most preschool children, she is anything but quiet. Different animals fill each spread as the youngster imagines herself as tall as a giraffe, brave as a lion, and waddling like a penguin. She turns the simplest activities into something fun and daring-bathing like a whale, playing a trumpet with an elephant, etc. But, when it's bedtime, she cuddles up in her mother's arms, realizing at that very moment that she's happy to be her mommy's little mouse. Short sentences and adorable illustrations fill each spread. The art has somewhat of a 1950s look that adds to its overall appeal. The endpapers reveal basic, colorful prints of the animals mentioned within the story. On the last page of the book, readers can have fun trying to spot all the different creatures, as they are hidden somewhere in the little girl's room. This is a perfect storytime book as children can act out the different animal movements and noises, and a reassuring title for lap sharing. It's destined to become a favorite bedtime story between parent and child. Krista Welz, The North Bergen Public Library, NJ