2009 Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book
Association for Library Service to Children Graphic Novels Reading List 2019 (Grades K-2)
School Library Journal Best Comics for Kids 2009
Association for Library Service to Children’s Graphic Novels Reading List 2013, 2014, and 2016
Featured in School Library Journal’s Best Comics for Kids
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy 2010
”A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionWith his first book for the very young, Smith, creator of the beloved and award-winning BONE graphic novels, adds another strong entry into TOON Books’ 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.”
–Kirkus Reviews
“Little Mouse Gets Ready is the perfect book for precocious 4-year-old readers.”
–ICv2
“The hero is an arresting blend of cute and tough, and his evident glee and determination will bolster the confidence of those who do have to wear clothing.”
–Publishers Weekly
“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…Smith’s deceptively simple style is a terrific match for a young audience—one- or two-panel pages that are elegant, lighthearted, and touching all at once—and 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.”
–Booklist
“It’s an incredibly cute way to help little ones figure out just how to get all those clothes on and get them feeling great about their achievements… Little Mouse Gets Ready is perfect for young kiddos just learning how to do the basics… A wonderful book, especially for those comic book fans, with a fantastic way to show little ones just how to get ready to go out!”
–There’s A Book
“Little Mouse’s response to Mama’s no-clothes declaration is wordless, but it says plenty… Toon-Books have found a flawless formula and the scientists – er…authors – to masterfully mix the ingredients into beginning reader perfection. The proof lies not only in award recognition, but more so in the enjoyment and laughter of countless young readers.”
–Help Readers Love Reading!
“The illustrations are cute without being cutsey… and watching Little Mouse get dressed is hilarious. The first thing to go on is the underpants and as everybody knows, as soon as a teacher says the word ‘underpants’ out loud laughter follows! The great thing about the book is the amount of detail that Jeff Smith gets in just a few words… the surprise ending when Mama actually does show up, makes me laugh EVERY TIME! This book will be great for all readers, easy to read, fun illustrations and a great sense of humor.”
–literatelives.blogspot.com
“Bone creator Jeff Smith is going in an entertaining new direction with this comic book/graphic novel for early readers… The ending was a laugh-out-loud moment for both myself and my three-year-old son. Let’s hope Jeff Smith gives us more tales about Little Mouse, I know I will read them.”
–pclkidsbooks.blogspot.com
“What makes LITTLE MOUSE GETS READY so clever is that it’s both a shaggy dog story in that a lot of build-up is subverted for a punchline that essentially negates the rest of the story. At the same time, the build-up itself is both charming and didactic.”
–High-Low Comics
“Smith plays to his audience here: the narrative is very easy to follow, the drawings are bright and cheery, and there is a nice little punch-line to wrap everything up.” and “It’s sweet and simple, and perfect to read to very young children (or to give to a beginning reader to read to himself or herself).”
–I Love Rob Liefeld: A Comic Book Blog
“The story is sweet and expertly drawn by Smith, which comes as no surprise.”
–NerdsWithKids.com
“The artwork and the simple story make it an easy transition to a slightly more complex style of storytelling.”
–Ohioana Quarterly
“A story with wit and visual charm to please all.”
–The Chicago Tribune
“Smith hasn’t drawn anything this purely fun and cartoony since the early days of Bone, and this is the kind of book that comics-friendly parents won’t mind reading to their children any time they ask. And they should ask a lot…”
–The A.V. Club
“As TOON Books go, I know that every time I review one I say, ‘This one’s the best!’ but I think Little Mouse Gets Ready actually is. If you haven’t seen a TOON Book before, this is a good place to start. Cute and surreal all at once; my favorite combination.”
–School Library Journal
“I love that though he’s getting dressed, Little Mouse still has the physiognomy of a real mouse (opposable thumbs excluded). His feet are ginormous, so he requires huge sneakers to get over his long, lengthy footsies. And with his clear cut pen and inks, Smith’s style is perfectly suited to the picture book/graphic novel format. He is crisp and he is clear. Kids will also get a kick out of the final image in this book where we see the family of mice trotting along, father looking perturbed as Little Mouse leads the way, fully clothed, proud as all get out.”
–Children’s Comics
“There’s a punchline to it that makes my 4-year-old laugh aloud every darn time — followed by a demand I read ‘that part’ again — so one can say Smith certainly hits his target. His illustrations are cute and charming as ever.”
–Rod Lott, Bookgasm
“If you’ve never considered that a children’s book about a mouse getting dressed would charm you into giddy happiness, you might want to pick this up. Combining the sweetness of old style Golden Books with a modern twist of a punchline, Smith has crafted a fun and funny little sequential picture book here — and Toon Books never disappoints, anyhow.”
–Worchester Magazine
“Smith’s art is lush and spry here. I especially liked Little Mouse’s Warner Brothers-style reaction at the end.”
–Comic Book Resources
“The surprise ending captures the blend of whimsy and practicality found in Smith’s Bone series, while the starring mouse is simply adorable.”
–ComicsWorthReading.com
“I guess being a little kid and having trouble with buttons is near-universal. At the same time, Little Mouse also talks about all the fun things he likes to do at the barn, and it’s easy to see these words inspiring the imaginations of little kids.” and “Smith’s art is as beautiful as always… Little Mouse Gets Ready lives in no small part on the expressiveness of its star. From the eagerness of Little Mouse’s face as he runs off to get his clothes, to the careful concentration of pulling on a sock, every moment just sings in cuteness…Little Mouse Gets Ready is just the right length for younger readers, as well as their parents.”
–ReadAboutComics.com
“Jeff Smith has always been in touch with his inner child, the one that loved comics from the get-go and got lost in their worlds of wonder and fantasy… So Little Mouse Gets Ready is a classic-looking comic in the best possible sense.” and “Kids will love the book, and adults will love reading it to them. It’s funny, charming, and just really well done.”
–Graphic Novel Reporter
“Something very lovely and perfectly pitched to young readers… Jeff Smith’s artwork is, as you’d expect, quite delightful, with just the sort of warm friendly cartooning that appeals to the youngest readers that Little Mouse is aimed at… The images of Little Mouse struggling valiantly with just the sort of things these young readers will be so familiar with from their own lives… Little Mouse Gets Ready is yet another perfect introduction to a lifetime of reading graphic novels from Toon Books. And you really can’t get a better recommendation than that. Buy it for your own children and if you haven’t got children the right age, find someone that has.”
–Fictions
“The images in this book are beautiful; Jeff Smith has created a lovely book that is both useful and funny. I laughed out loud when I got to the end, the kind of laugh that builds up and you’re laughing harder and harder.”
–Crowding the Book Truck
“Little Mouse was EXACTLY the early reader comic I was looking for. It presents the best of the comics medium in a format that is incredibly accessible to beginning readers… I think Toon Books is really onto something special. At the very least, they helped give my daughter the tools to learn to love an artform that I’ve loved since I was a kid, which is an exceptionally cool gift for an aging, balding geek-dad. Thanks Toon Books!”—Building a Library blog
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