This is a review of a fantastic children book: Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears. Everyone is afraid of something. Little mouse is afraid of spiders, shadows. Little mouse is afraid of everything. Join her as she face her fears and discover that even the biggest people are afraid of something. Award winning author/illustrator Emily Gravett, has created an interactive and creatively designed book to help children confront their phobias.
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The cover of Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears (Emily Gravett’s crossed out) sets the stage for a humorous look at typical fears. Children will identify quickly with Little Mouse and his fears. The graphics and illustrations, with flip up flaps, peek through pages and nibbled corners are fun and delightful. One highlight is a pull out map of the Isle of Fright. This map will put the symptoms of fear in perspective as the children explore the map of a mouse shaped island. Expect to hear laughter as the children get the hidden picture and word clues.
The text is a combination of simple statements about what Little Mouse is afraid of and the actual name of the phobia. Interspersed on the pages are a variety of textual and pictorial insights about each phobia. Covering a wide range of fears, from arachnophobia to panophobia, it is the final phobia that gives this book its ultimate humorous twist. There is one phobia listed that is a made-up phobia. However, most children will have no trouble figuring out which phobia isn’t real and it provides a break -just in case facing fears is getting out of hand.
As they see or read about the reasons for Little Mouse’s fears, the children will explore their own feelings and reasons for their fears. There are built-in places to write, draw or to make a collage similar to the ones in the illustrations. Ideally, these will help the children face their fears with art and humor.
From the doodles to the fears, Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett, rates as informative, fun, engaging, helpful and an answer to a big fear of many parents-childafraiddowhatophobia.