Ellen Stoll Walsh

Categories: Children's Books

Ellen Stoll Walsh’s Mouse books have always been among my favorite concept books for children. Her approach to teaching concepts such as colors and counting move beyond the typical education driven book, creating a wonderful story that also happens to reinforce learning concepts. The approach is always imaginative, with the simple, finely cut paper illustrations perfectly complimenting the mice's engaging adventures.

Walsh’s latest book, Mouse Shapes (2007) is no exception. A mischief of mice run from a cat and find themselves near a pile of colored shapes. The mice discover it is possible to employ the shapes, forming new creations: houses, trees, a sun. The designs become more and more intricate as the book progresses. When the cat threatens to pounce, the mice devise a cunning plan to use the shapes to scare him away.

As with her other books, the story is simple and straightforward. Her word choice is easy and the illustrations are bright and engaging. Walsh remains among the best cut-paper illustrators- the menacing cat, the cunning mice- their presentation the illustrations seem to pop off the page.

Walsh has a number of other books featuring super cute mice as well including:

• Mouse Paint (1989)- When three white mice discover three jars of paint—one red, one yellow, and one blue—each climbs right in. The red mouse finds that if he steps in a yellow puddle and does a little dance, his paint puddle turns orange. And so it goes with the other mice as they create green and purple, respectively. But the mice must still return to their original white color so they can hide on white paper where the cat can't find them. Will they be able to escape?
• Mouse Count (1991) available in Spanish and English- A slithery snake finds the perfect meal: then sleeping mice. He counts them into a jar, “one, two, three…” But, seeing one more mouse hidden in the grass, he leaves the jar unattended to collect it. Can the ten captured mice outsmart him and “ten, nine, eight…” uncount themselves to safely?
• Mouse Magic (2000)- Color combinations seem to move, quiver, vibrate, and dance. Is it magic?