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BABYMOUSE QUEEN OF THE WORLD!

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Holm, Jennifer and Matthew 2005. BABYMOUSE QUEEN OF THE WORLD. New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-375-93229-1

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Felicia Furrypaws slumber party is afoot and Babymouse is worried she will not be invited. Felicia is the most popular girl in school, but always leaves Babymouse feeling like she does not measure up. Babymouse must decide if she will remain loyal to her best friend, Wilson the Weasel, or will she join the popular crowd of Felicia’s minions?

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Off the bat, the first thing you notice are the illustrations. They are simple, yet eye-catching. They will make you want to take pencil to paper and try the drawing of Babymouse. The illustrations are clever, swapping from the real world of Babymouse, illustrated in black-and-white, to her daydream world, illustrated in bold pink and black. The contrast in the colors will help young kids keep track of which storyline is taking place--real Babymouse or fantasy Babymouse? There are also fun details in many of the pictures, for instance a spider web is behind a book titled SPOOKY on a bookcase, and a spider is swinging from the side of the bookcase. These illustration nuggets will have kids examining the pictures carefully to discover more delights.

As a reader, kids will relate to Babymouse’s struggle to be accepted by friends who seem out-of-reach. Every child has their own Felicia, i.e. the one friendship you feel you need more than any other. Babymouse works hard to earn that friendship with Felicia Furrypaws, while the reader knows all along that Wilson the Weasel is the true friend. In this story, the reader sees the solution before Babymouse, and that is to stay loyal to Wilson. 

When Babymouse does choose Felicia over Wilson, you are truly sad for this horrible choice, but can relate to why Babymouse wants to go to the sleepover with the popular girls. Once there, Babymouse doesn’t have fun. Felicia is rude and bossy. Babymouse realizes she needs to stay true to herself and go to Wilson’s house. So with a dump of popcorn and butter over Felicia’s head, we cheer as Babymouse packs her suitcase and leaves the slumber party, finally choosing Wilson. Babymouse successfully rights her path from the wrong turn of Felicia. 

Even though the characters are mice, cats, weasels and more, they are brought to life with contemporary situations kids will relate to, and will especially draw in the reluctant reader. The animal characteristics are fun to explore as well. Mice and cats are natural enemies, so it is fitting that Felicia becomes the villain to our hero Babymouse. Also, a weasel is normally not to be trusted, but the Holm siblings turn that notion upside down by creating Babymouse’s best friend as a trustworthy weasel.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOKLIST: “The Holms spruce up some well-trod ground with breathless pacing and clever flights of Babymouse's imagination, and their manic, pink-toned illustrations of Babymouse and her cohorts vigorously reflect the internal life of any million-ideas-a-minute middle-school student."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Several things are clear about Babymouse, as evidenced from the cover art–shes adorable and she loves pink. Luckily, as further pages reveal, she is also smart, spunky, and a tad sarcastic.”

5. CONNECTIONS 
*Kids will want to draw Babymouse, and they should! Have each student draw Babymouse and create a Babymouse student art portfolio.
*With students, discuss the relationship between Babymouse and Felicia Furrypaws. How would they handle their own Felicia Furrypaws? What would they do differently?
*Have kids examine the story strictly through the illustrations. How do the illustrations speak? Using illustrations only, have them create an original Babymouse scene which has a positive message. (No words allowed!)
* Gryphon Award, 2006
* ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2006
* New York Book Show Awards, 2006

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