Book Review: Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat by Shana Hollowell | Illustrated by Jennifer Finch

Thank you to Sandra’s Book Club for offering a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

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Book Details

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Age range: 3-5 years

Publisher: Self-published

Publication date: August 19, 2016

Pages: 28

Add on Goodreads | Buy on Amazon India | Amazon.com

Book Synopsis

(From Goodreads)

This is a cheerful, lyrical story about a little mouse that goes on an adventure in search of something sweet. He meets lots of friends along the way that share treats with him, but none are quite right. He is disappointed until he arrives home and realizes his Mommy baked the sweetest treat just for him – cookies!

(From Amazon.com)

Little Mouse is hungry and goes out looking for a sweet treat. He meets many animal friends on the way that share their preferred treats with him, but none taste sweet enough for Little Mouse.  Disappointed, his journey takes him back home. Will he ever find something sweet? A children’s picture book for ages 3-5, grade preschool to kindergarten.

• 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner
• 2017 Shortlist for Chanticleer Little Peeps Awards for Early Readers 

Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat is an instant classic and heart warming story that your child will love. 

A sweet story about kindness and friendship.

Lyrically written and beautifully illustrated in watercolor. 

A hidden snail on every page.

My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book is so cute!

I have read Hollowell’s other book, When the Squirrel Sings, and comparisons are inevitable.

The rhyming verse is delightful, although I feel the font could be better. Reading this book to a child is a pleasure.

The illustrations, while different from When the Squirrel Sings, are just as attractive from a child’s point of view. My child, who goes to nursery, loved the big and colorful pictures of the animals and birds. I like the watercolor style of the illustrations. Each page features a creature and describes its conversation with mouse, who is looking for a sweet treat.

Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat is educative and entertaining, teaching young children what food each animal/bird eats and where it lives. It is also lovely to see the smile on your child’s face when he/she finds that mouse does indeed get his treat. I’m not saying what it is or who gives it to him–I’ll let you and your child enjoy it.

There’s a snail hidden in each page and it is good fun hunting for it.

Very young children (2-4 years) will immensely enjoy this picture book.

About the Author

Shana Hollowell lives in Virginia with her husband, two young sons, dog, cats, koi fish, and hundreds of bonsai trees. She works as a manager for the Virginia Department of Health.

Her picture books are for ages 3-5, preschool to kindergarten, and include Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat and When the Squirrel Sings.

Connect with her on Facebook and Amazon at: www.facebook.com/authorshanahollowell
www.amazon.com/author/shanahollowell

About the Illustrator

Jennifer L. Finch is a self-taught, mural artist that grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. With no formal training, she spent most of her life painting and drawing her true passion… horses! She owns a wall mural business called Jaden’s Dreaming Tree. She lives with her two young daughters, Jeylah and Aryah, and husband, Matt, on their 5 acres in Windsor, Virginia.

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Book Review: When the Squirrel Sings by Shana Hollowell | Illustrated by Jennifer Finch

Thank you to Sandra’s Book Club for sharing a review copy with me in exchange for an honest review!

Book Details

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Age(s): 3-5 years

Publisher: Self-published

Publication date: May 18, 2019

Pages: 43

Add to Goodreads | Buy on Amazon.in | Amazon.com

Book Synopsis

(From Goodreads)

This enchanting children’s picture book makes music come alive when a squirrel sings and a magical, backyard symphony begins. Written by Shana Hollowell and Illustrated by Jennifer Finch.

(From Amazon.com)

An instant classic and heartwarming story your child will love.

Connects your child to the wonder and beauty of nature. Encourages outdoor play.

Lyrically written and beautifully illustrated.

A hidden heart on each page.

My Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

What a lovely, lovely book!

There are some picture book that simply make my heart sing–and this is one of those!

Beautiful, lively, colorful watercolor illustrations transport me back to my childhood, when I spent most of my time playing outdoors. Today’s children, engrossed in their screens, miss out the joy of getting dirty in the mud, watching butterflies and insects go about their work, or see the orange smudge of the setting sun.

Written from the point of view of an adorable squirrel who sings a song while children play, this book encourages children to go outside and play and appreciate the beauty of nature. The story features butterflies, birds, insects, turtles, and even earthworms as part of the audience, which enjoys the squirrel’s song.

The story is written in rhyming verse and is a delight to read to children. My child learned about a few new creatures–earthworms , woodpeckers, and beetles–from this book.

I found out later that there’s a hidden heart on each page–a good idea to introduce a hidden object game. It encourages the child to look at the pictures more deeply and analyze the shapes and colors.

My child asks for the “squirrel story” every day!

Highly recommended if you have young children below the age of 5.

About the Author

Shana Hollowell lives in Virginia with her husband, two young sons, dog, cats, koi fish, and hundreds of bonsai trees. She works as a manager for the Virginia Department of Health.

Her picture books are for ages 3-5, preschool to kindergarten, and include Little Mouse’s Sweet Treat and When the Squirrel Sings.

Connect with her on Facebook and Amazon at: www.facebook.com/authorshanahollowell
www.amazon.com/author/shanahollowell

About the Illustrator

Jennifer L. Finch is a self-taught, mural artist that grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. With no formal training, she spent most of her life painting and drawing her true passion… horses! She owns a wall mural business called Jaden’s Dreaming Tree. She lives with her two young daughters, Jeylah and Aryah, and husband, Matt, on their 5 acres in Windsor, Virginia.