  | Mouse buffet : a Christmas treat Author: Ferreri, Della Ross | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
A group of adventurous mice decides the family buffet is the perfect way to celebrate the holidays, as long as they can avoid the family cat.
| Illustrator: | Bowers, Tim |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/01/25)
School Library Journal (06/20/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/20/2025 PreS-K—A spread of treats on a festive Christmas table is inviting to more than just human guests. While a big cat sleeps nearby, a conglomeration of mice scrambles atop the table, discovering cookies, candy, and more treats they are anxious to try. Each delectable bite enhances the joy the mice feel, making it increasingly difficult to keep their actions a secret. When the mice accidentally make a noise that effectively alerts the slumbering cat to their presence, they must bravely face the inevitable. Young children will appreciate this clever and approachable holiday tale, thanks to the design of the pages and the delivery of the narrative. Onomatopoeia, engaging font sizes and colors, and a rhyming structure tell the story while brightly colored, detailed illustrations draw readers' eyes with mouthwatering images of food that looks nearly good enough to eat. The playful design and the story's enjoyable delivery make it well-suited to be read aloud in a preschool environment. While festive Christmas treats are the focus of the story, there are few overt references to the holiday, which gives the book a more general appeal. VERDICT This is an enjoyable addition to story time collections, especially as a part of the Christmas holiday season.—Mary Lanni - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Other - 07/28/2025 While the cat’s sound asleep, the mice will... nibble, crunch, and slurp their way through a family’s sumptuous Christmas spread. Four rambunctious, hungry mice climb a chair ("scritchity scrat") to reach a table laden with a cheery rainbow of desserts-from delicately decorated cut-out cookies to a large punch bowl accented with floating cranberries and orange slices. Potential tragedy strikes when a runaway grape ("boinga boinga!") wakes the fluffy orange kitty loafing tableside, and the mice tunnel into a tall chocolate cake as refuge. Juxtaposed with the sure-to-pounce cat, scenes of the rodents-who look alternatingly euphoric and frantic-gobbling the kaleidoscope of goodies create a gentle suspense. And Ross Ferreri’s brief and bustling onomatopoeic outing serves up a sudden, surprise ending that’s delicious for all. Ages 6-7. (Aug.) - Copyright 2025
