I’m Not a Mouse! by Evgenia Golubeva
Published by Child’s Play

Age Range: 3 – 6 years

Since the early days when they began toddling around, I have called my boys “skunk” whenever they are in a mischievous mood. Now, at the ages of 5 and 8, they still giggle at the nickname and occasionally call me a skunk too. Nicknames are one way we show affection to those closest to us, but not everyone likes having an alternate name. In “I’m Not a Mouse!” we follow Olivia, who turns into her mother’s pet name for her whenever called. As a result, she gets into silly situations including a near miss as a meal for the family cat. The story concludes when Olivia realizes that she does not have to answer to “mouse” and has the last laugh as she learns her grandfather’s nickname for her mother. Olivia’s journey is beautifully complimented with whimsical and diverse illustrations. It is the perfect story to share with littles who love to giggle. Along with writing and illustrating charming children’s books, Golubeva is a filmmaker who created the award-winning children’s short-film, “The Witch & the Baby” which can be viewed for free on Vimeo.

– Stefanie Estes, M.L.S.