Kids probably go through similar feelings from time to time, and watching Spike's antics brings home the point in a gentle way that trying to be something or someone you are not usually doesn't work out so well. The simple and colorful illustrations help kids focus in on what Spike is doing in each picture, the better to notice his expressive face. Country mouse Tilly invites her city friend to visit, and then town mouse Milly reciprocates. Though they both enjoy each other's company, they part with a new respect for their own place in life. Kneen's warm, inviting watercolors of the English countryside perfectly set off the lovingly detailed text.
Summers seems to have the knack for exposition without going overboard.
Though this book is billed as a counting book, the mathematical aspect is secondary to the gentle rhythmic poetry and the unique looking woodcuts. The poem follows the barnyard wanderings of one fat, furry striped cat as she encounters a growing number of insects and animals. The answer lies in the cool stoneware pitcher that a little girl carries from the farmhouse. The woodcuts were made on a nineteenth-century hand press and painted by hand with an earthy palette. You won't have to be a cat lover to enjoy this beautiful book.