Picture Book Review: Green on Green by Dianne White

Image: Simon & Schuster

Green on Green by Dianne White. Illustrated by Felicita Sala. unpgd. Beach Lane Books/ Simon & Schuster, March 17, 2020. 9781481462785.

A happy belated book birthday to Green on Green on Tuesday. The book got lost in the shuffle of end-of-trimester grading and the beginning of our school's virtual learning experience due to Covid-19. My apologies. Reading it today was the perfect antidote to a stressful, uncertain week.

A beautiful brown-skinned, blue-eyed child passes through a year in his idyllic home surrounded by nature and the love of his parents. The spare, impressionistic text focuses on color, the seasons and the family bond. Eagle-eyed children will spot small details in the background as the year passes. The warm, retro feel of the illustrations are the stars here. Each spread lusciously depicts the thriving, curious boy who is immersed in nature and his parents attention. Green on Green is a lovely addition to any library. 

Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle

Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle. Illustrated by Stephanie Yue. 32 p. Orchard Books/ Scholastic Inc., March 31, 2015. 9780545649292. (Finished copy courtesy of publisher for review.)

Such a Little Mouse is such a sweet little book. This little mouse has serious executive functioning skills as he finds the time to explore and enjoy friends in his environment as he prepares for the coming winter. While I must say that he is decidedly brown despite the text's description of his "smart gray coat," he is so beguiling that I forgive the discrepancy. 

The mouse is adorable and ever-so-slightly anthropomorphized. The palette is pleasing. The spreads contain nice little details of the meadow through the four seasons as well as the whimsically decorated mouse burrow. Occasional repetition and onomatopoeia make for a cozy read aloud for parents, teachers and librarians.