The Mole Sisters and Busy Bees

Description

The Mole Sisters set out to do nothing at all. But when a busy bee buzzes by, they follow him and end up in a lovely meadow of flowers. The Mole Sisters begin smelling and their noses become covered in pollen. Soon they look just like flowers! With a couple of big sneezes, they are back to being Mole Sisters.

Roslyn Schwartz has lived in many places, including London, Paris, and San Francisco; she currently resides in Montreal. Roslyn is the author and illustrator of the first six popular "Mole Sisters" books as well as a new picture book for toddlers, "Yo Baby!." She has also worked on animated films.

Schwartz's pencil-colored illustrations significantly extend the simple text. The colors are soft and her backgrounds are muted shadings of color. Though the experience of being in a flower-filled meadow is outside of most young urban children's understanding, Schwartz's skillful use of onomatopoeia draws them into the experience. We hear the mole sisters' delight while they frolic in the flowers, and we know what they are doing by the sounds they make. The subtly of the text and illustrations of these gentle books will require child/adult interaction to obtain their maximum potential. The humor in the mole sisters' books is meant to charm. Schwartz's endings reassure children that unknown objects can become part of their safe environment. [A] good book for preschoolers to share while sitting quietly with on their parent's lap. Recommended.--Kathleen Kirk"Canadian Materials" (10/04/2002) [A] good book for preschoolers to share while sitting quietly with on their parent's lap. Recommended.--Kathleen Kirk"Canadian Materials" (10/04/2002)