  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/15/2011 When Mole wakes up, he smells spring in the air. He tiptoes past Bear’s bedroom and steps outdoors. Excited to feel the mud squishing beneath his feet, Mole decides to wake up Bear. He taps on his window, knocks on his door, and even tickles his nose with a feather, but Bear sleeps on. Determined to waken his hibernating pal, Mole gathers eggs, milks the cow, cooks an enormous breakfast, and carries it to him in bed. Bear wakes up and happily announces, “Spring is here,” but Mole has fallen asleep. With plenty of repeated “sound” words, such as “Sniff. Sniff. Sniff,” “Squish. Squish. Squish,” and “Tap. Tap. Tap,” the story is fun to read aloud and lends itself to audience participation. Nicely varied in composition, the mixed-media illustrations, which include many double-page spreads, show up particularly well from a distance. A good read-aloud choice for preschool units on hibernation. - Copyright 2011 Booklist. School Library Journal - 03/01/2011 PreS—Mole wakes up and wonders if it is spring. Stepping outside, he relishes the "Squish. Squish. Squish" of mud under his feet. Anxious to share the news, he raps on Bear's window, but his friend is fast asleep. Mole's door-knocking, nose-tickling, and horn-playing all fail to rouse Bear. Deciding on a different tactic, Mole "gathered. He milked. He churned. He poured. He mixed. He baked." While wide-awake Bear tucks into his breakfast, it is Mole's turn to snooze. Hillenbrand's mixed-media illustrations have a warmly colored, textured appearance. With its well-placed repetition, this simply told tale is perfect for toddlers. Pair it with Karma Wilson's Bear Snores On (S & S, 2002) and Kevin Henkes's Old Bear (Greenwillow, 2008) for a seasonal storytime.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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