Loud Mouse

What’s it like to possess a truly impressive talent? Sisters Mentzel and Menzel explore this question through the unevenly told story of Dee, a young brown mouse who’s a precocious belter: “With my tail in my hand,/ My whiskers out proud,” she sings, holding the end of her tail like a mic, “I sing it big/ I sing it/ La, La, La, La,/ LOUD.” When Dee shares her voice in public for the first time at show-and-tell, her performance and its reception are so “resounding” that she’s transformed into a giant-size version of herself. It’s fun at first—Sinquett’s digital cartoons, which lean into pinks and purples, initially go for gentle comedy as Dee wrangles her now-enormous body in a kid-size world—but the mouse ends up feeling lonely and isolated from everyday life. Oddly, no one else grows physically upon sharing, and one student’s show-and-tell is portrayed as boring to others, giving a prima donna vibe to Dee’s transformation. Even so, familial love and wisdom help her embrace the gift that sets her apart; as her little sister asks, “Do you think a star can choose not to shine?” Ages 3–5. Authors’ agent: Jennifer Hoel, ICM Partners. Illustrator’s agent: Christy Ewers, CAT Agency. (Sept.)