A Friend's Tale

March 12, 2012
Kirk’s fourth book about Sam the library mouse continues the exploration theme of the third book, Library Mouse: A World to Explore, while offering a significant focus on art. Along with Sarah, the adventure-seeking mouse he met in the previous story, Sam makes an after-hours visit to the museum next door, giving Sam his first trip outside the library and introducing both mice to art and artifacts from across the centuries. Kirk revels in the museum environment, and readers (with parental help) will be able to identify works by and allusions to Seurat, Hokusai, Degas, and many more. The mice, though, are a bit wooden, with the same basic expressions whether admiring statuary or running away from the museum’s resident artist cat. Ages 4–8.

April 1, 2009
K-Gr 2 -"Library Mouse" (Abrams, 2007) introduced shy, library-dwelling Sam, who writes and illustrates books that he leaves for Mrs. Forrester and the children to read. This pleasant sequel features a bashful boy named Tom, who is a member of the Writers and Illustrators Club. He discovers that the mysterious author is a mouse and leaves him treats in an effort to make friends. Sam is able to bypass the cheese and crackers, but when he finds the story Tom wrote, he cannot resist. When the club meets again, Mrs. Forrester finds a new book written by Tom and illustrated by Sam, featuring two friends drawn as mice. When asked to identify his collaborator, Tom keeps his new friend's secret. Kirk's anthropomorphic mouse lives in a realistic-looking library, and his drawings of the librarian and children are incredibly lifelike. Tom's facial expressions and body language aptly convey his shyness and concern about Sam. The illustrations alternate between full-bleed drawings and spotlight cameos, and the perspective changes to show the story from of the points of view of the two main characters. This charming selection deserves a place in most collections."Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2009
Grades K-3 Kirk continues his love letter to libraries with this follow-up to Library Mouse (2007). After hes left without a partner on the latest project for his librarys Writers and Illustrators club, a young boy named Tom discovers the mouse Sams hiding place behind the childrens reference desk. Despite never having been seen (in fact, no one even knows hes a mouse!), Sam is still an accomplished and admired author-illustrator at the library. Tom leaves tokens of friendship at Sams holea piece of cheese, a peanut-butter crackerwithout any results. Finally he decides to leave something Sam cant ignore . . . a story! Together they write, and Sam illustrates, a book called The Shy One. Kirks lifelike art remains exceptionalthe world seen from Sams perspective is impeccably detailed. The covers of classic childrens books such as Goodnight Moon and Frindle appear on desks and in the hands of patrons; young readers will be thrilled to recognize some titles and encouraged to read the ones they dont yet know. This charming sequel will be another hit at library story hour.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

July 19, 2010
Sam the library mouse is content reading and writing about far-off places and events. When he meets Sarah, a daring mouse from the other side of the stacks, Sam is happy to pass on his book knowledge. But when Sarah tries to share her love of exploring the highest shelves, Sam struggles between his fears, Sarah's encouragement, and his own desire to be brave. Sam's realization that "readers and writers are explorers, too" is refreshing, but it's Sarah's response—"just think of the books you could write if you really got to see the world!"—that gives this story depth. Ages 6–9.

January 1, 2008
Library mouse Sam begins writing--and surreptitiously shelving--his own tales. When the librarian (who doesn't know he's a mouse) asks for an author visit, Sam remains concealed and invites children to write their own books. Kirk delivers an undisguised message about the value of writing. His human characters look stiff, but Sam is depicted with verve and humor.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2007
Put a mouse in a library and you have a sure seller; make the mouse a writer and you have a sure-fire hit. Sam lives in a hole in the wall behind the childrens reference books. During the day he sleeps, but at night he reads all kinds of books. One night Sam decides to write and illustrate his own. He writes about himself, and he draws his likeness, posing in a little mirror and sketching what he saw. He slips Squeak! A Mouses Life into the biography section. A girl finds it and shows it to the librarian, who is intrigued. Then Sam writes more: The Lonely Cheese and The Mystery of Mouse Mansion. Increasingly curious, the librarian posts a note on the bulletin board, inviting Sam to Meet the Author Day. What is Sam to do? His delightfully unexpected solution will inspire kids to write their own stories. In a rainbow of colors, the art, which features a slightly flattened perspective, ranges from small oval pictures of Sam busily sharpening pencils with his teeth to full-page views of the busy library. One great picture shows Sams face filling the page, dark eyes alight and white whiskers bristling. Its a show-stopper. This is ready-made to introduce a classroom writing activity, though some of the pictures are too small to be appreciated in a large-group readaloud. Even so, this is fun, fun, fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2007
K-Gr 2-Sam has a cozy home in the wall behind the children's reference books at the library. By day he sleeps and by night he reads, reads, reads. One night, he decides to write his own book. Once his autobiography is finished, he shelves it in the biography section. It's a huge hit with the children and the staff, as are the mystery and picture books he pens. This leads the head librarian to post a letter inviting the mystery writer to a "Meet the Author" day. Since he is a bit shy around people, he comes up with a better idea. He sets up a display using a mirror to show each student as the author, then puts out booklets and pencils for them to write their own stories. This book has an excellent premise, but the text is a bit wordy. It's the art that brings it to life. The detailed illustrations show a bright, light, busy library filled with books, a few computers, and lots of patrons. Sam, attired in a different outfit on almost every page, is an engaging, expressive mouse, and kids will enjoy seeing him having the run of the building at night. This offering would work well as a catalyst for a writing project."Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.