Horn Book Review
Bear's grumpy stomping makes Mole's tunnel collapse. Mole angrily throws his shovel, over which Hedgehog trips. The chain reaction continues until Bear finds a present from Mouse, which sparks a good deed, inspiring another, and so on. While the point that small actions can have big consequences is capably made, it deserves less twee illustrations and wording ("Mouse tappity-tap-tapped," etc.). (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The day dawns sweet, but a big hairy bear gets up on the wrong side of the bed and straight into Grumpsville. In newcomer Jones' story of mood contagion, Mouse is inspired by the glorious morning to make cupcakes, one of which he will bring to Bear, his sweet-toothed friend. But Bear isn't home when Mouse arrives to deliver the cupcake, so Mouse leaves it on Bear's table. Bear, readers learn, is out and about bellyaching. His boots are too big and too uncomfortable, which causes him to stomp, collapsing Mole's tunnel, which causes Mole to fling his shovel in disgust, which causes Hedgehog to trip and roll over the shovel and down the hill, where he inadvertently sticks a spine into Fox's bum, which causes Fox to hurl his groceries in the air, which land on the squirrel family, whose ruckus wakens Owl's owlets. "Bicker! Squabble!" Understandably, the weather turns foul, forcing Bear home, where he finds the cupcake, cracks a smile, and offers an apology, which cascades through the forest as the others follow suit. It's a nicely concrete demonstration of what goes around, comes around. Less effective is the saccharine artwork, which telegraphs every beat. And Jones' language feels likewise forced, alternately trying too hard"Mouse tappity-tap-tapped on Bear's door"and simplistic"Now everyone was in a BIG BAD mood." The message may never grow old, but the artwork and language will. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
When Mouse wakes up to a beautiful day, he's blissfully unaware of Bear's foul mood, brought on by his too-big rain boots. Stomping around the wood, he collapses Mole's tunnel, which causes Mole to throw down his shovel in fury. Then Hedgehog trips over the shovel and pricks Fox with his spines. Then Fox's groceries tumble higgledy-piggledy all over a poor family of baby squirrels. What a mess! Luckily, Mouse's sunny mood leads him to share a cupcake with Bear, and that small act of kindness influences a similar domino effect of apologies and generosities, leaving the wooded glen a much nicer, friendlier place than it was starting out the day. Edgson's sweet illustrations, in saturated colors and with cute, cartoonish faces on all the creatures, are a nice match for the warmhearted tone of the story. With plenty of sound effects strewn about each page and large-format, expressive images, this pleasant (if a bit schmaltzy) story will be a great read-aloud pick for storytime.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist
