Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home

Book excerpt: The library mouse learns about architecture, homes, and renovations in this illustrated adventure. When Sam the library mouse and his friend Sarah wake to find the library being packed up to prepare for a major renovation, they realize they won’t have a home during the construction. So off they go in search of a new place to live. Sam knows research is key, so he finds books about architectural styles to get ideas for building a temporary home from objects found around the library. They build and live in a variety of houses: a castle, an igloo, a yurt, a modern house, and even a geodesic dome. But none feels like home to Sam. Finally, though, the renovation of the library is complete, and they can move back to their true home, the library! The book includes photos of the real house styles discussed in the text and a relevant glossary of architectural terms. Praise for Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home “Kirk’s familiar gouache illustrations maintain a mouse perspective filled with library details. This clever presentation of world housing types has three pages of backmatter that describes each style and its location. Not only is the story amusing, but the information will be useful in classrooms.” —Kirkus Reviews “Newcomers and fans of the previous titles will welcome this tale, and librarians will put it to good use in their research lessons.” —School Library Journal “This is a fine use of light fantasy to teach a little lesson about building structures, and it will be especially useful to those preparing children for the disruptions that come with home renovations.” —Booklist