A loquacious mouse stars in Kelley's (Buggly Bear's Hiccup Cure; Look, Baby! Listen, Baby! Do, Baby!) entertaining story with an unexpected ending. Unable to bridle his big mouth, Blabber divulges everything, from the secret location of a friend's cheesy-chip cookie stash to schoolyard crushes and movie endings. He also has a hard time keeping his gossip straight ("Last night my mom was a nervous wreck running around the house!" becomes "Charlotte's mom wrecked their house last night"). Rather than ostracizing him for these indiscretions, Blabber's friends and teacher surprise him with a party and gifts, including a diary into which he now can spill his secrets. This antidote, perhaps unrealistically, solves Blabber's problem in short order. Kelley's thoroughly modern mice sport pierced tails, snowboard and wear environmentally conscious "Save the Fields" T-shirts. Her exuberant pen and watercolor illustrations provide humor worth revisiting and keep this tale on an upbeat track. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)
