Media Mix
Einstein—The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse Through Space and Time
Written and illustrated by Torben Kuhlmann
Translated by David Henry Wilson
Mouse is looking forward to the greatest cheese fair the world had ever seen! “Camembert, Brie, Gouda, Emmentaler, Cheddar, Pecorino. The mouse’s whiskers trembled with excitement…”
Unfortunately, he arrives one day late, and so begins Mouse’s journey to turn back time. His first attempt takes him back in time, all right! All the way back to a patent office in 1905!
With the help of a young patent office employee (Albert Einstein), Mouse repairs his time machine and is off to the cheese fair.
Although labeled as a “picture book,” Einstein—The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse Through Space and Time is also an exquisite coffee table book, filled with detailed illustrations that accompany a lively and imaginative storyline.
Available for preorder now at TheMouseAdventures.com
The Bad Mood!
Written by Moritz Petz
Illustrated by Amelie Jackowski
When Badger wakes up one morning in a bad mood, he considers staying home for the day, but ultimately decides against it.
“Everybody ought to know how miserable I feel, he thought.” So, when he goes out for his morning walk, he is grumpy and rude to each friend he encounters.
As the day progresses, and Badger’s bad mood lifts, he’s surprised to find his friends are now the ones in a bad mood. “Fox told him to get lost. Squirrel hurled a nut at his head. Mouse and Hare shouted and hissed at Badger which made him quite dizzy.” Badger realizes his bad mood rubbed off on his friends!
A clever lesson in how easily bad moods can spread and how to take responsibility for one’s actions.
Franz-Ferdinand the Dancing Walrus
Written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister
This is a sweet story about an old bull walrus named Franz-Ferdinand.
He doesn’t like to move at all, and instead, prefers spending his day lounging on his rock, watching Madame Flamenco’s world-famous flamingo ballet students practice their dance moves. They dance beautifully, and soon Franz-Ferdinand decides he wants to dance just like them.
Day after day and week after week, he practices secretly, until he is ready to approach Madame Flamenco and ask if he can join her ballet company!
From the creator of Rainbow Fish, Franz-Ferdinand the Dancing Walrus is a wonderful book about following your dreams and not giving up. Ocean pollution is discussed in the storyline when Franz-Ferdinand makes his tutu out of plastic trash found in a nearby “floating carpet of plastic garbage.” Author Notes discuss the importance of caring for the ocean and the planet.
Sandy Foster is a writer and blogger (NadinesBakery.com) who lives in the Kansas City area.