Five Nice Mice and the Great Car Race (Five Nice Mice)

PreS-Gr 2--In this follow-up to Five Nice Mice (Minedition, 2007), Bon Bon, Wisk, Teeny, Nibble, and Abby notice an advertisement for the Great Car Race. The thrill of the race would be enough in itself, but the prize is the "biggest piece of cheese anyone had ever seen!" Scraps, thingamajigs, bobs, odds, and ends are gathered, and soon the perfect blue car is ready to go. Flags wave, and the race begins, but will the five nice mice outsmart the competition? Zooming through town, they encounter lots of obstacles: the paws of a giant dog, a bouncing red ball, pesky pigeons, and the smell of food in the outdoor market. Readers watch the event progress from the perspective of the mice and through aerial shots of their course through town, giving readers a few different vantage points. Close to the finish line, the mice are met with a challenge, but Nibble saves the day. Rich, deeply colored illustrations add to the story's action-packed time line; clear placement of text encourages children to turn each page to see what's next. This book is ideal for a read-aloud for preschool children, as well as for independent reading. A map of the route is included for extra fun.--Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library