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Kids' Books on Saturday




 I have a special fondness for "woodland creature" stories: "Goodnight Moon" (with its bunny protagonist), "Rufus the Bat," the "Frances Badger" series, the birds (and other inventions) of Leo Lionni, the mice tales of Kevin Henkes, the squirrel-centered "Good Day," the close-knit family in "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the Rosemary Wells raccoons.




These animals are slightly exotic to children--but they are still "within reach." They are animals that kids can see (and think about) on a daily, or almost daily, basis.

Also, a mouse seems so humble, so easily overlooked; there is something beautifully counterintuitive about "centering" the (fictional) concerns of a mouse.

This brings me to "Anatole." Eve Titus, the writer, scored a hit with "Basil of Baker Street," which yielded the "Great Mouse Detective" (possibly the best of all Disney animated films). In "Anatole," Titus has the shrewd idea of allowing a mouse to overhear a human complaint. ("Mice in my kitchen! Eating all the cheese! Useless pests!")

Heroic Anatole, the mouse in question, chooses not to become defensive. He responds to the human complaint by devising a "cheese critique" system; he rates the cheeses at the local dairy plant, so that the cheesemaker can maximize his profits.

The cheesemaker--moved by Anatole's generosity--tries to pursue a friendship. But he respects A's wish for anonymity. He offers free French pastries--and the symbiotic relationship persists (on and on, ad infinitum).

This is an elegant love story; not a word is wasted.

Five stars.
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