Little Big Mouse

The concept of size is explored in this tale of a mouse who finds his place in the world's pecking order. Little Big Mouse longs to be as tall as his older brother or his parents. He sneaks out of his apartment building to find the secret of being big. His journey is fraught with peril as hostile animals eye him hungrily, but the determined rodent perseveres. Discovering a circus, he decides to approach the elephants: Who would know more than they do about being big? When asked about his size, one pachyderm replies that he has always been big--even when he was little. When a flea appears on Little Big Mouse's nose and asks, ``Can you tell me how you got to be so big?'', the mouse returns home, comforted by the fact that size is all relative. Set off by ample white space, Karlin's boldly colorful cartoons brim with winsome characters and good humor. Ages 2-6. (Mar.)