Parents' Guide to Mahalia Mouse Goes to College

Book John Lithgow Picture Book 2007
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Common Sense Media Review

By Dawn Friedman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Animated, rhyming tale is a treat to read aloud.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 4+?

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What's the Story?

Mahalia Mouse leaves her struggling family to find her future at college.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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While lots of stars write books for kids, few have the talent to do the job; John Lithgow, however, is one who consistently produces terrific books for young readers. MAHALIA MOUSE GOES TO COLLEGE is no exception. Originally written as his commencement speech for the Harvard class of '05 (a recording of the speech on CD is included), this rhyming story naturally translates to an intriguing picture book.

Lithgow understands the power of rhythm and rhyme, making his books lots of fun to "perform" as read-alouds. He also conveys a love of words, using a vocabulary that is challenging for the littlest kids but within an easy-to-understand context. Igor Oleynikov's illustrations are finely detailed, as suits a book about a mouse. Dark colors wash through the first part of the story, but the colors warm and brighten as Mahalia finds her footing in school.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about college -- how is it different from elementary school? What kinds of responsibilities do college students have in school? Families can share their own favorite subjects and even play school together.

Book Details

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