Douglas

Title:

Douglas

Author:

Summary:

"When Iris Espinosa goes to the cinema, she doesn't expect to meet a small mouse. And she certainly doesn't expect that mouse to stow away in her sweater pocket. At home, Iris is delighted by the mouse's daring, which reminds her of the actor Douglas Fairbanks. And so begin the adventures of a sweet, plucky mouse named Douglas, who must overcome obstacles aplenty, from hungry cats to broom-wielding humans, as she journeys across the tall rooftops of Bloomville to return to her movie-theater home. Full of high-stakes chases, clever escapes, and valiant rescues, Randy Cecil's story is a cinematic and meticulously crafted celebration of courage and friendship. In his follow-up to Lucy, Randy Cecil again tells a visually arresting tale in four acts -- this time about a brave movie-theater mouse on a daring adventure."-- Provided by publisher.

Audience:

5 - 8 years.

Kindergarten - Grade 3.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations ; 24 cm

Genre:

Action and adventure fiction.

Subject Term:

Mice -- Juvenile fiction.

Girls -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Candlewick Press,

Publication Date:

2019

ISBN:

9780763633974

Publication Information:

Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2019.

Call Number:

J CECIL

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003437228	Juvenile Fiction	CECIL	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

In his follow-up to Lucy, Randy Cecil again tells a visually arresting tale in four acts -- this time about a brave movie-theater mouse on a daring adventure.

When Iris Espinosa goes to the cinema, she doesn't expect to meet a small mouse. And she certainly doesn't expect that mouse to stow away in her sweater pocket. At home, Iris is delighted by the mouse's daring, which reminds her of the actor Douglas Fairbanks. And so begin the adventures of a sweet, plucky mouse named Douglas, who must overcome obstacles aplenty, from hungry cats to broom-wielding humans, as she journeys across the tall rooftops of Bloomville to return to her movie-theater home. Full of high-stakes chases, clever escapes, and valiant rescues, Randy Cecil's story is a cinematic and meticulously crafted celebration of courage and friendship.

Author Notes

Randy Cecil is the illustrator of many books for children, including Lovabye Dragon, Evermore Dragon, and Sail Away Dragon, all written by Barbara Joosse, and Brontorina, written by James Howe. Randy Cecil is the author-illustrator of Lucy. He lives in Houston, Texas.

Reviews (1)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2--4--Douglas Fairbanks was a star of silent film, known for playing dashing rogues like Don Juan, Zorro, and Robin Hood. "Douglas Fairbanks" is also the name of a small female mouse in this adorable book. The tiny rodent is given that name by Iris Espinosa, a young girl who picks up the mouse at the Majestic Cinema and names it after her favorite screen actor. That chance meeting is the first of a series of adventures for Douglas, who goes on wild adventures like her namesake, except on a smaller scale: riding in coat pockets, fleeing hungry felines, and swinging from clotheslines. Told in four acts, each page has no more than two paragraphs. The text includes no dialogue, as if it too were a silent movie. The duotone artwork also recalls these black-and-white films of the past. Each act is introduced with a dramatic two-page panoramic spread of the city block where Douglas has her adventures. Above the jagged rooftops are clouds that look like kernels of freshly popped popcorn. The text is accompanied by more intimate circular illustrations, each one a peephole into the charming town of Bloomville. The story takes place over a few days but feels like the adventure of a lifetime. VERDICT Cecil's tale is reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo, Beverly Cleary, or any other author exploring the inner lives of animals and how they interact with a human world that can be big and scary, as well as full of love and friendship.--Chance Lee Joyner, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, NH

Excerpts

Act i * 1 * On a Saturday afternoon in Bloomville, Iris Espinosa put on her sister's blue sweater and stepped out the front door. A familiar buttery scent wafted through the air. Popcorn. Iris headed down the steps . . . and made her way along the sidewalk, past the enormous cat with six toes on each paw . . . past Everett Dunn, whose mother did not allow him to go beyond his stoop alone . . . to the Majestic Cinema, where she bought a small box of popcorn from a street vendor and a ticket from the box office. Then she stepped inside. She made her way down the aisle and along the front row to her usual seat. The lights dimmed, and the projector started up with a click, click, click. Iris watched the screen, rapt, as her hero leapt and dashed about, narrowly escaping danger at every turn. * 2 * A few rows back, a little mouse was watching the screen, too. But the sight of popcorn falling through the fingers of the Woman with the Large Hat a few seats over pulled the little mouse away. The Woman with the Large Hat came to the cinema every afternoon. And, to the little mouse's delight, she happened to be very careless with her snacks. The little mouse danced about, snatching falling kernels from the air . . . and feasting on one fluffy bite after another, until she felt rather queasy. To ease her aching belly, the little mouse took a little walk. And she belched a little belch. Then she hopped up on a cushiony seat to take a nap. To her surprise, a girl in a blue sweater was sitting in the next seat over, smiling at her. The little mouse considered skittering away. But her belly was still rumbling. So she settled down in the soft, cozy folds of the girl's sweater instead. On the screen, the hero was bravely swinging on a vine from one castle window to another. But the little mouse was more interested in a pocket she had discovered above the folds of the girl's blue sweater. The pocket looked like the softest, coziest place of all. So she climbed inside. Then the little mouse fell asleep. Excerpted from Douglas by Randy Cecil All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.