A Mouse Told His Mother

Tracing the bedtime dialogue between a feisty youngster and his mother, this captivating picture book runs in much the same vein as Margaret Wise Brown's classic The Runaway Bunny. Here, as day draws to a close, a little rebel boasts of his adventurous plans, while his mother meanwhile calmly proceeds with nighttime rituals (""A mouse told his mother, `I will climb up snowcapped mountains.' `Wear warm pajamas,' said his mother""). From tooth-brushing and bath to a glass of water, hug and kiss, and final lights-out call, each step of the routine sparks a creative alternative in the bright-eyed chap's fertile mind--a rocket trip to the moon; a crocodile hunt; a bucking bronco ride. Skillfully repeating framing phrases, Roberts's (Waiting-for-Christmas Stories) neatly condensed prose plays straight man to Begin's (Little Mouse's Painting) minutely detailed and lushly panoramic artwork, which catapults readers into the mouse child's imaginative alter-world. A romp under the quilt, for instance, becomes exploring ""a spooky cave,"" while the proposed mountain trek sees him ascending a sheet-capped pile of toys. Fantasy and daily life combine enticingly here to create a wholly appealing realm. Older readers will also enjoy the visual puns (such as the mouse taking a bath in a tin labeled ""cat food""). Ages 3-7. (Apr.)