I love Barbara McClintock's illustrations. The story is pretty cute as well. ( )

It's another picture-book triumph for Barbara McClintock (and Beverly Donofrio, of course)! As its name suggests, Mary and the Mouse, The Mouse and Mary features a dual narrative, one in which a little girl named Mary, and a little mouse living in Mary's home, grow up side by side. Becoming aware of each other quite by accident, the two develop a fond but distant friendship, forced to create little "accidents" in order to catch a glimpse of one another. But when Mary and the mouse both move away, it seems the friendship is at an end... or is it?

This charming tale is just the sort of story I would have taken to heart as a girl, delighted at its opening of hidden vistas (the mouse house within a house), and thrilled at the idea of friendship across seemingly insurmountable barriers. The watercolor, ink and gouache artwork of Barbara McClintock is top notch, perfectly capturing the sense of discovery and wonder in the tale, making this a definite must for all of her fans! ( )

Genre: Fantasy
Critique: While the story could be considered realistic fiction, I would consider it fantasy because of the behaviors of the mice. In real life they would not become friends with a human, and they do not wear clothes.
Plot: This is a very interesting plot where the author is comparing two things. So, first we see the story, and then we see the exact same story, but from the point of view of a different character. There weren't really any conflicts in the story other than the fact that both the girl and the mouse grow up.
Media: Pen and Ink, Watercolor, and Gouache
Uses: Have kids compare their life with another animal or culture, Talk about what happens when we grow up. ( )