Six Sleepy Mice

Six Sleepy Mice by Heidi Cooper Smith (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN: 9780648256359

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

A tumble of hungry mice noses its way into an enticing pantry. ‘A store of treats, oh what a find! Six feast together, tails entwined.’ Filled to their whiskers, the mice search for the perfect place to curl up together and sleep. But it’s easier said than done! Chased from a cosy egg carton, a comfy clump of clothes and a fluffy bed of teddies, the furry friends are swiftly swept outside. When they land on a feathery drift of foliage, they are finally free to ‘burrow deep… Rest their heads and fall asleep.’

Heidi Cooper Smith has taken on the mammoth task of both writing and illustrating this picture book aimed at children aged three to eight. The story scampers along at a brisk pace, punctuated by chipper couplets that bring a smile to your face. With a natural rhythm that rolls off the tongue, this is an ideal book for reading aloud.

Dripping with delicious details, Heidi’s illustrations draw readers into the dramatic world of the mice. From the paw prints scurrying past tasty titbits on the end papers to the heart-warming reds and yellows of the autumn leaves, the visual aspects add layers of meaning and merriment to the text. Perhaps the most endearing element in the book is Heidi’s characterisation of the mice – the sweet faces run the gamut of childhood emotions before their eyes finally close in serene slumber.

Six Sleepy Mice is an action-packed story that keeps young readers eagerly turning the pages. Dynamic illustrations dance with lively rhymes across the spreads, the caper only slowing with the delightfully drowsy denouement.