Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
PreSchool-Grade 2–While searching for her lost baby, a mouse is chased by a great, big, hairy, scary ape! The gorilla follows her from the rainforest to China, to America, to Australia, and even to the Arctic, yelling, Stop! all the way. But the mouse keeps on running, exclaiming again and again, Help! Help! He'll catch me!/He'll squash me and scratch me,/He'll mince me and mash me,/And crunch me up for lunch! Young readers will guess what the mother mouse, in her terror, can't see–that the seemingly fierce gorilla is simply trying to return her baby to her. The brief, lively text and the melodramatic refrain make for a humorous and boisterous read-aloud. Ross's bright pastel illustrations capture the mouse's fear and the gorilla's determination with verve. This deceptively simple, satisfying tale is sure to be a storytime hit, and it subtly conveys a great message about prejudices to boot.
