Itsy-Bitsy Baby Mouse
What’s inside...
A baby mouse gets lost and experiences frightening adventures before finding his way back home to his parents. In this sweet picture book from Michelle Meadows and Matthew Cordell, a lost little mouse must navigate a huge house to find his way home. Itsy-bitsy baby mouse explores the house, encountering various challenges and making discoveries, but ultimately seeks something familiar to lead him back to his parents. The book takes readers on a joyful journey with the baby mouse as he finds his way home.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
3-7
Length
34 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Baby Mouse felt when he got lost? Can you remember a time when you felt the same?
What do you think are some good ways to help someone who is lost and scared?
Why do you think all the other animals wanted to help Baby Mouse?
What did you learn from how Baby Mouse solved his problem?
How would you help Baby Mouse if you were one of the other animals in the story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use empathetic listening. As your child expresses their thoughts, nod and respond positively to encourage them to elaborate.
Connect the story to your child's experiences. Relate the emotions and situations of Baby Mouse to similar instances in your child's life to deepen their understanding and empathy.
Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer to help your child develop their analytical and expressive abilities.
Encourage creativity by asking your child to imagine alternative endings or different scenarios within the story.
Reinforce the themes of the book such as helping others and bravery, by discussing real-life applications of these concepts.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Perseverance
Explanation: Itsy-Bitsy Baby Mouse gets lost in a large house but does not give up trying to find his way home. He faces various challenges but keeps pushing through.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of not giving up despite difficulties or setbacks. This can be applied in their daily activities such as learning a new skill or solving a problem.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: Throughout his journey, Baby Mouse encounters many obstacles. He uses clever thinking and the resources around him to navigate his way.
Real-World Application: This demonstrates to children how to think critically and make use of available resources to solve problems, whether it's figuring out a puzzle or resolving conflicts with peers.
Example Lesson: Courage
Explanation: Despite being small and in a daunting large world, Itsy-Bitsy Baby Mouse bravely ventures to find his way back home.
Real-World Application: Children are encouraged to face their fears and try new experiences, understanding that being brave doesn't mean not feeling scared, but doing what is necessary despite the fear.
Example Lesson: Asking for help
Explanation: When Baby Mouse realizes he might not be able to make it alone, he seeks help from other characters in the story.
Real-World Application: Kids learn the value of seeking assistance when needed, showing them it's okay to ask for help and how it can sometimes be the best action to take.