Booklist Review

The TOON imprint, which already boasts an impressive lineup of respected comics artists, adds another heavy hitter with this offering by the much-beloved creator of the all-ages graphic adventure Bone. Although all TOON books feature simple story lines designed for beginning readers, this one may have the simplest yet: a wee mouse gets dressed. Each step from checking to make sure the tag in the undies is in the back, to sitting down to put on pants, to the trickier maneuvers involved in buttoning a shirt comes with built-in challenges that are given all due consideration and brightened by touches of gentle humor. Smith's deceptively simple style is a terrific match for a young audience one- or two-panel pages that are elegant, lighthearted, and touching all at once and a knock-your-socks-off twist at the end will leave children giggling. As a dual treat, the subject matter encourages the empowering activity of dressing oneself at the same time that its medium helps build visual comprehension and reading confidence.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2009 Booklist