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Miss Mousie's Blind Date
A second book from the award-winning author/illustrator team, Tim Beiser and Rachel Berman. As charming as BRADLEY MCGOGG, we think this story will sell at least as well, but possibly even better!
A charming story about self-acceptance, and love lost and found, told through the eyes of a dear little mouse, and her possibly-not-so-handsome suitor, Mole. Chramingly illustrated, cleverly told, the message is timeless, and the illustrations endearing.
A charming story about self-acceptance, and love lost and found, told through the eyes of a dear little mouse, and her possibly-not-so-handsome suitor, Mole. Chramingly illustrated, cleverly told, the message is timeless, and the illustrations endearing.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 17, 2014
The book blurb claims that "Miss Mousie's Blind Date" is "A charming story about self-acceptance, and love lost...cleverly told, the message is timeless..".
It should say:"A hateful story about self-degradation, and settling for love. Clumsily told, the message is a venomous snake bite to your child's heart" I s'pose I should back up and explain myself though.
"Miss Mousie's Bleak Fate", as I shall henceforth call it, is about a mouse who's looking for love. One day she drops her hankie in front of her crush, and her crush quips: “tell that fat girl by the door to pick her hankie up”. Not only does her crush refer to her as "that fat girl" he orders her to pick up her hanky (pick it up for her, jackass, a person's "boneability" is not the sole justification for extending them common courtesy!). On top of that, he refuses to even speak to her directly, instead he tells the the deli owner to tell her, while she is in the SAME ROOM.
So, after being dehumanized while shopping, Miss Mousie runs home in shame, blubbering about her blubber. Until one day, a gentleman caller stops by to take her out. She is too embarrassed to meet him because she's fat, so she wears a disguise to mask her fatness. When her date finds her out, she is mortified. Luckily, her date reassures her that it's okay: I have shitty eyesight, plus I'm also fat, so we can be together. The End.
She didn't learn to accept herself! She is still seeking validation outside of herself. From a man no less, what a surprise! Furthermore, the validation she received from her lover wasn't written like acceptance and love, it was written as if said in resignation to a less-than-ideal fate. As if two ugly fatties put aside their shame and settled for one another.
Remember children: if you're fat, don't even try to date anyone who's not a shameful fatty like yourself. And even THEN, count yourself lucky.
It should say:"A hateful story about self-degradation, and settling for love. Clumsily told, the message is a venomous snake bite to your child's heart" I s'pose I should back up and explain myself though.
"Miss Mousie's Bleak Fate", as I shall henceforth call it, is about a mouse who's looking for love. One day she drops her hankie in front of her crush, and her crush quips: “tell that fat girl by the door to pick her hankie up”. Not only does her crush refer to her as "that fat girl" he orders her to pick up her hanky (pick it up for her, jackass, a person's "boneability" is not the sole justification for extending them common courtesy!). On top of that, he refuses to even speak to her directly, instead he tells the the deli owner to tell her, while she is in the SAME ROOM.
So, after being dehumanized while shopping, Miss Mousie runs home in shame, blubbering about her blubber. Until one day, a gentleman caller stops by to take her out. She is too embarrassed to meet him because she's fat, so she wears a disguise to mask her fatness. When her date finds her out, she is mortified. Luckily, her date reassures her that it's okay: I have shitty eyesight, plus I'm also fat, so we can be together. The End.
She didn't learn to accept herself! She is still seeking validation outside of herself. From a man no less, what a surprise! Furthermore, the validation she received from her lover wasn't written like acceptance and love, it was written as if said in resignation to a less-than-ideal fate. As if two ugly fatties put aside their shame and settled for one another.
Remember children: if you're fat, don't even try to date anyone who's not a shameful fatty like yourself. And even THEN, count yourself lucky.
January 11, 2013
Get beyond the “illustrations” and the authors ability to rhyme his sentences, we get a lovely story about how being fat is something to be ashamed of and fat people can only love fat people. Settle, kids! Settle for someone that you didn’t really want, but at least they won’t call you fat and mock you!
Negative body image is something that’s so pervasive in our society, so why not get the kids onto it early! When Miss Mousie reacts negatively to Matt LaBatt calling her fat, this book ingeniously shows kids that being fat is a BAD thing. Being heavy is undesirable, so if someone calls us fat, we should be sad and depressed and hate ourselves.
In a shocking scene in the book, Matt LaBatt, Miss Mousie’s crush, tells someone to “tell that fat girl by the door to pick her hankie up”. LaBatt feels the need to get Mousie to pick up her hankie (wtf?) but tells the deli owner to do it because... why? He can’t be bothered to talk to a fat girl? Miss Mousie overhears this exchange and her strong, negative reaction shows she’s had some body image issues before this. She rushes home and hides from everyone, worried that someone else might call her fat (wtf?!!) and then, when she gets an invitation to a mystery date, she wonders if the mystery man knows just how fat she is (because if he really knew, he wouldn’t want her, of course!) and decides to go in disguise so that he might like her despite her being fat (WOT?!!!!!!!)
Her disguise fails and her poor mystery date has to see a fat girl but, surprise, he’s got issues of his own: he wears glasses! ZOMG! Well, she tells him to put the glasses on so he can see and she confesses to being fat, but, omg!awesome!, HE’S fat TOO, so it’s a-okay!!
In this book I did not see Miss Mousie learn to love herself regardless of what others have to say. Negative body image is only corrected by self acceptance, not by seeking acceptance from others. Miss Mousie is still focusing on being liked by others and has not grown as a character or learned any kind of lesson. The target audience of this book should not excuse it's poor handling of a sensitive topic.
Negative body image is something that’s so pervasive in our society, so why not get the kids onto it early! When Miss Mousie reacts negatively to Matt LaBatt calling her fat, this book ingeniously shows kids that being fat is a BAD thing. Being heavy is undesirable, so if someone calls us fat, we should be sad and depressed and hate ourselves.
In a shocking scene in the book, Matt LaBatt, Miss Mousie’s crush, tells someone to “tell that fat girl by the door to pick her hankie up”. LaBatt feels the need to get Mousie to pick up her hankie (wtf?) but tells the deli owner to do it because... why? He can’t be bothered to talk to a fat girl? Miss Mousie overhears this exchange and her strong, negative reaction shows she’s had some body image issues before this. She rushes home and hides from everyone, worried that someone else might call her fat (wtf?!!) and then, when she gets an invitation to a mystery date, she wonders if the mystery man knows just how fat she is (because if he really knew, he wouldn’t want her, of course!) and decides to go in disguise so that he might like her despite her being fat (WOT?!!!!!!!)
Her disguise fails and her poor mystery date has to see a fat girl but, surprise, he’s got issues of his own: he wears glasses! ZOMG! Well, she tells him to put the glasses on so he can see and she confesses to being fat, but, omg!awesome!, HE’S fat TOO, so it’s a-okay!!
In this book I did not see Miss Mousie learn to love herself regardless of what others have to say. Negative body image is only corrected by self acceptance, not by seeking acceptance from others. Miss Mousie is still focusing on being liked by others and has not grown as a character or learned any kind of lesson. The target audience of this book should not excuse it's poor handling of a sensitive topic.
February 17, 2013
On the cover, Miss Mousie looks happy, but inside all we find is a sad, ridiculed mouse with low self-esteem. Yes, not everyone will find us pretty, but teaching children that we have to define ourselves by what people say about us seems wrong.
October 16, 2022
I thought the rhymes were beautiful, the illustrations fun and a really, truly sweet message to tie it all together. ❤️
November 30, 2013
Tim Beiser tells an amusing tale of romance and self-acceptance in clever rhyming verses. Miss Mousie is enamored with Matt LaBatt, the handsome water rat.
He, however, dashes her hopes of romance by carelessly insulting her in the deli. Miss Mousie flees home in shame, vowing never to show her face again. But when she receives an anonymous note inviting her on a date she must find the courage to venture out and discover who her admirer is. She comes up with an elaborate disguise which becomes quite dishevelled as she makes her way to her date’s home. She meets her date who is also pretending to be someone else. Through the course of the evening, they both discover that the best way to find love is to just be themselves. Her date lovingly declares, “If you’ll be you, then I’ll be me.” The important message of self-acceptance and acceptance of others is humorously told in this tale. Rachel Berman accompanies these well-crafted verses with whimsical watercolor and gouache illustrations of Miss Mousie and her friends dressed in elaborate clothing. Unfortunately, the author’s mocking references to Miss Mousie's weight and the mole's poor eyesight are not dealt with in a sensitive manner and provides a poor example for young readers.
And so it was, one day in May
When stopping by the deli.
Miss Mousie’s eye fell on a guy
Who turned her knees to jelly.
He, however, dashes her hopes of romance by carelessly insulting her in the deli. Miss Mousie flees home in shame, vowing never to show her face again. But when she receives an anonymous note inviting her on a date she must find the courage to venture out and discover who her admirer is. She comes up with an elaborate disguise which becomes quite dishevelled as she makes her way to her date’s home. She meets her date who is also pretending to be someone else. Through the course of the evening, they both discover that the best way to find love is to just be themselves. Her date lovingly declares, “If you’ll be you, then I’ll be me.” The important message of self-acceptance and acceptance of others is humorously told in this tale. Rachel Berman accompanies these well-crafted verses with whimsical watercolor and gouache illustrations of Miss Mousie and her friends dressed in elaborate clothing. Unfortunately, the author’s mocking references to Miss Mousie's weight and the mole's poor eyesight are not dealt with in a sensitive manner and provides a poor example for young readers.
December 5, 2012
I won this book from Librarything. I thought it was very cute with great rhyming and cute illustrations. Miss Mousie fancies a good looking male mouse but then finds out he does not feel the same because he finds fault with her looks. Upset she goes home depressed for a while. She then finds out someone else wants to go out On a blind date with her. Fear of more rejection she trys to cover up and change her appearance. Not being herself she runs into difficulties on the way to her date. When she arrives she finds he has done the same for fear of rejection since he is not super good looking. Turns out they are perfect for each other and like each other for who they really are! It's a cute children's story. However it's recommended for pre-school age. I think it would better for children ages 6-9. Thanks for The book librarything. It's a keeper for sure And going into my children's Library!
August 30, 2015
Miss Mousie's Blind Date is a cute rhyming story for the young that addresses self-confidence. Miss Mousie has her feelings hurt when one that she finds to be so handsome, thinks very little of her. She thinks so little of her own appearance, that when asked on a blind date, she goes to great lengths to disguise herself before the meeting to hide her imperfections. In the end Miss Mousie learns that she is perfect the way she is and that all of her shenanigans to look pretty, were just silly.
I shared the story with my 4-year-old daughter who quickly became enthralled with the illustrations. I'm sure she didn't catch on to the premise of the story at here age, but I know she was delighted by the rhyming text anyway.
I think this book would be a wonderful read aloud for any young child who may be questioning their appearance.
*I received this book as a member of the Librarything Early Reviewers program for the purpose of sharing my review. Opinions are 100% my own.
I shared the story with my 4-year-old daughter who quickly became enthralled with the illustrations. I'm sure she didn't catch on to the premise of the story at here age, but I know she was delighted by the rhyming text anyway.
I think this book would be a wonderful read aloud for any young child who may be questioning their appearance.
*I received this book as a member of the Librarything Early Reviewers program for the purpose of sharing my review. Opinions are 100% my own.
November 26, 2012
Although older readers might enjoy this title more than younger ones and snicker at the idea of a date being literally blind as in the case of the mole in the story, it would make a great read aloud to share with others. When Miss Mousie fails to impress the debonaire water rat, Matt LaBatt, she takes to her bed in embarrassment. But someone else has found her fetching and invites her on a blind date. Her suitor turns out to be the moll who owns the deli where she first saw Matt. He keeps complimenting her but squinting, and she realizes that out of vanity, he isn't wearing his glasses. The text contains a great lesson about being yourself, and the watercolor and gouache illustrations are quite delightful. Obviously, this is a match made in Heaven.
November 21, 2012
At first I was really upset by this book. Poor Miss Mousie is rejected by handsome rat (with lemon yellow teeth of course) because she is fat. Really? In a picture book? Oh dear. BUT I kept reading and after some silly decisions, yet decisions we all would make in her stead, she does find someone who loves her for her. I'm not sure if this is suitable for the very young, but might make a good bedtime or read together book especially if a child has been made fun of or rejected. The illustrations are lovely and I really felt for Miss Mousie!
March 29, 2013
This is rhyming story about meek Miss Mouse and how her plans go all wrong but not necessarily her dreams.
I support Independent book stores search for a book store near you or buy this book: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978177...
I support Independent book stores search for a book store near you or buy this book: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978177...
January 3, 2013
Age: K+
April 30, 2014
Even though this book had some negative comments about being fat, I still enjoyed the book, especially the delightful illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews