Tillie & the Wall

Some mice take the wall for granted, never speaking of itin fact, never even seeing it. But for Tillie, a mouse who believes that the grass (and scenery) on the other side must be not only greener, but fantastic and beautiful, the lure of the wall proves impossible to ignore. When her glorious visions of the other side prove too much to bear, Tillie tunnels under. Her reception on the other side is a warm oneidentical mice to the ones left behind greet her, and then follow her back home. There, she is a hero, and forever after the mice pass freely back and forth from one side to the other. The mice will look familiar to readers of Lionni's other works, but this storylike all his othersnever falls to formula. His philosophical playfulness is in full force, and Tillie's visitation may be, after all, a circular one, with ambiguities to pore over and be delighted by. It's a journey worth repeating. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)