Oops Pounce Quick Run!: An Alphabet Caper by Mike Twohy (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Oops Pounce Quick Run!: An Alphabet Caper by Mike Twohy Jeannette Hulick Twohy, Mike Oops Pounce Quick Run!: An Alphabet Caper; written and illus. by Mike Twohy. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2016 32p ISBN 978-0-06-237700-5 $17.99 R 4-7 yrs A mouse is “Asleep” in a recliner within the walls of a human house, when a “Ball” comes flying into his abode, and the ball-into-stomach impact forces him to “Catch” it. The ball belongs to a “Dog” who puts his “Eye” up to the mouse hole and plunges in his “Feet” to retrieve the ball, while growling “Grrrr.” With a “Help!” the mouse is on the run, and a chase ensues through both the human house and the remainder of the alphabet. Somewhere between T and Y, though, the two forge a tentative friendship and settle down for a snooze with a concluding “Zzzzz.” A few of the words are shoehorned into the formula (e.g., “Very cool” for letter V), but overall this is an amicable abecedary romp. The initial letter of each word or phrase is printed in a vivid color, which contrasts with the black type of the remaining letters, and the large font ensures that the words will easily be seen across the room. The text words are, for the most part, easily decodable, expanding the usefulness to the easy-reader crowd as well. The cartoonish India ink and felt-tip pen illustrations are effective in conveying the story beyond the minimal text; animated lines and streaks transmit the urgency of the pair’s motion, while plentiful white space allows the large words and the two emotive animals to take center stage. Primary-grade classrooms and libraries will find plenty of curricular use for this, and kids will enjoy the lively story and opportunities for full-voice exclamation. [End Page 441] Copyright © 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois