The Mouse Who Braved Bedtime

Baum, Louis. The Mouse Who Braved Bedtime Illustrated byy Sue Hellard. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2006 ISBN 1-58234-691-7 $16.95. Ages

Hellard complementes her collection of animal picture books by adding a delightful and heroic story about Milo the Mouse, who would do anything to have just one peaceful night’s rest. Like many young children around the world, Milo has repeating nightmares of dark shadowy shapes and scary monsters. No matter what soothing method Milo tries, he cannot get these creepy aberrations out of his dreams. Hellard uses a brilliant application of texture, warm colors, and complementary colors to give each illustration a comforting and approachable feel. However, when the story reaches the point of Milo falling asleep, the illustrations make a 180 turn. Hellard’s illustrations drastically become a blend of cool colors that will draw any reader into the horrifying significance and quasi-reality sphere of these nightmares. With the dual levels of colorful entertainment and meaningful rationality, this childhood story is a wonderful addition to any child’s bookcase.

Amy Overman, BGSU student