Beach Babe (Babymouse #3)

Babymouse: Beach Babe sat on my coffee table the day after it arrived, looking very pink, and calling out, in a high-pitched, squeaky sort of voice "read me." Eventually, just before bedtime, I gave in. And I have to say, after missing the first two books in the series, that I am now in love with Babymouse.

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, the Babymouse books are graphic novels, with engaging pink and black pictures, designed for the 8 to 12 set. They feature an indomitable heroine, with a rich fantasy life, and loving, if largely invisible, parents. This installment begins with Babymouse dreaming of being a surfing champion, only to wake to discover that (oh great joy!) it's the last day of school. After making it through the day, Babymouse learns (oh greater joy!) that her family will be vacationing at the beach. What follows is a mixture of real-life beachside trials and tribulations (sand-castles, surfing, sunburn, and boardwalks) and fantastical adventures (mermaids and genies in magic bottles).

But the real story is Babymouse's relationship with her much younger brother, Squeak. Anyone who has ever had a younger sibling, or been a younger sibling, will be able to relate to the images of Squeak, ready with his kite, eager for his adored older sister to play with him. And, sadly, we can also relate to Squeak's desolation when Babymouse is too busy, running off on her adventures. There's a scene in which Squeak's heart literally breaks, upon rejection from Babymouse. Clearly, the brother-and-sister creators of this book have some real-life experience in matters of older and younger siblings. You'll have to read the book yourself to see how it turns out.

Babymouse: Beach Babe is a quick and easy read, and will definitely appeal to reluctant grade school readers. Two things make the book stand out for me. The first is the irrepressible spirit of Babymouse, as expressed through her actions, through the wonderful drawings, and through her discussions with the invisible narrator. She carries echoes of Anne Shirley in her dramatic failures, and of Pippi Longstocking in her bravado. The other thing that I love about this book is the regular seasoning of small, humorous details. The scene where Babymouse cleans out her locker, finding, among other things, troublesome gnomes, aliens, and the dish that ran away with the spoon, made me laugh out loud.

Babymouse: Beach Babe is the kind of book that you want to read with someone else nearby, so that you can hold it up and say "look at this!" at intervals. I think that my elementary school nieces will adore it. As for me, Babymouse: Beach Babe made me wish that I had been a little nicer to my younger siblings. It also made me nostalgic for childhood summer vacations, where life's biggest problem is "who am I going to play with?" It's an excellent read for the start of the summer.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on May 7, 2006.

Love

Our daughter absolutely loves the Babymouse books. They're clever, well-illustrated, and always end well. Our daughter laughs out loud every time she reads them, and she rereads each one over and over again. This is a great series to transition young readers to chapter books.

Can't say enough good about BabyMouse books. My reluctant 8 yo reader is really exerting herself to read this series of books. She is sounding out the few more challenging words so she can read the books by herself. There is not that much in the way of substance or storyline, but there is plenty of opportunity to practice reading with expression and to see how it impacts the story. This has really helped and is a skill she is using in other reading situations. The books include a lot of imaginatiions and daydreams of Babymouse woven into the story so they are fun. There is some opportunity for discussion of relationships, choices made by characters and other meaningful discussions. It is not a chapter book, but I suppose would be called a graphic novel.

The first time I tried this book I jumped off the couch it was so funny! I could just eat baby mouse up! Breathless pacing and clever flights of imagination! Totally great for girls of any age!

We stopped reading this book.

My daughter likes the book, but I don’t approve the anti-math messages in this series.

A gift

Daughter loves baby mouse books! So adorable and easy to read. Fun to read along!

My daughter's favorite series. We're working on the collection.