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PRESCHOOL
Bond, John

Much Too Busy

32 pp. | Interlink | October, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9781623717223 $18.95
(2) PS A self-important pigeon (no, not that self-important pigeon) strides through the city in a terrible rush, briefcase under wing, tiny bowler hat on head. In his hurry, he loses his bearings and ends up lost in the countryside. There he meets a contemplative, "definitely not busy" mouse who offers to be his guide, and the two set off looking for town. Along the way, Mouse makes fanciful observations ("Pigeon, this leaf looks just like your foot," "That cloud looks just like a dog"), which are repeatedly rebuffed by the single-minded bird. Then night falls, and Mouse, finally brought down by his companion's apathy, admits defeat: "You're right, Pigeon...This is hopeless. I should have been looking where we were going and not at all those silly things around me. Now we're both lost." Mouse's uncharacteristic display of dejection snaps Pigeon out of his own funk and into the present moment. He notices where he is and who he's with: a new friend who needs comforting. Bond's comical, textured illustrations feature a scowling, blue-feathered grump and a wide-eyed, expressive-eared, Frederick-esque optimist. The colorful details are eye-catching and fanciful; it's easy to see why Mouse gets distracted -- and why Pigeon sees the light.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

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