May 20, 2024
In this work that follows a small ship and the beings who orbit it, Jonker (Just One Flake) introduces a man and a boy, both portrayed with light brown skin, who live in a lakefront cabin. A mouse named Mabel lives there, too. The man’s eyes are hidden by the lenses of his glasses, suggesting emotional distance, and he has for several months been working on an intricate model ship, “carefully perfecting every last detail. He wouldn’t even let the boy help.” The handsome vessel is just the right size for a mouse to sail, and Mabel is transfixed, longing to “be the brave captain.” The boy has a similar fantasy, but it’s Mabel who makes the first move one stormy night. Caldecott Medalist Cordell draws the gripping scenes that follow in sun-bleached blues and dense, delicate hatching that recalls old engravings. Mabel’s efforts bring triumph, a setback, and warm resolution
as her exploits draw the three protagonists together. It’s gratifying to look on as the audacity of the story’s smallest, most
vulnerable character breaks through the defenses of an intimidating adult. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. Illustrator’s agent: Rosemary
Stimola, Stimola Literary.
June 1, 2024
A simple ship yields a (relatively) big adventure in this classically told tale. In a little cabin on a little lake, there lives a mouse named Mabel, a boy, and a man. The man constructs a very special model ship. "He wouldn't even let the boy help." Every night when she looks at it, Mabel wonders if the ship is seaworthy. She lets herself dream of piloting it through seas both rough and calm, "free and full of wonder." When an opportunity presents itself, Mabel hesitates but reasons that the chance may never come again. Readers will be relieved to find that the ship does indeed float, but when the ship meets with tragedy, both Mabel and the man will need to find a solution. Jonker cleverly juxtaposes the mouse's character arc alongside that of the grown man. Whereas Mabel must summon the courage to live her dreams, the man must overcome his fear of letting other people help him with his own. Cordell, meanwhile, outlines panels with rope, then fills his images to the brim with a busy cross-hatching technique that gives the book a timeless feel. Both boy and man in the book have light-brown skin. Arrr, 'tis a seaworthy tale, so set your compass toward fulfilling your dreams, and she'll not steer you wrong. (Picture book. 3-6)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2024
A mouse with nautical aspirations realizes her dream. Wee Mabel gazes with longing at the cunning model ship fashioned by the man who lives in the lakeside cabin where she makes her home. It is the man's "prized possession," the product of many months of painstaking labor; he is so possessive that he won't even let the boy who lives with him touch it. Then one blustery night the cabin door is blown open and Mabel gets her chance. Using a mouse-sized block and tackle and some tiny logs as rollers, she lowers the boat and pushes it into the water to sail it all night long. When the man panics at the ship's loss but then sees it under sail with Mabel at the helm, man, boy, and mouse are united in awe and glee. Jonker taps into many children's delight in miniatures; they will thrill along with Mabel at her adventure. Cordell's scratchy ink and wash illustrations have a faded look, their sepias and pale blues giving the tale an old-timey feel that a gooseneck desk lamp only slightly diminishes. Mabel and the boy each wear a knitted watch cap, hers a pale red and his blue; when he lifts her in his hand at the end of the story, they smile at each other, fast friends. The illustrations mix full-bleed spreads with vignettes; the latter are framed in knotted rope. Sweet wish fulfillment. Vicky Smith
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
June 28, 2024
K-Gr 2-In a tale so spare and atmospheric that it seems barely begun before it ends, the small but meticulously detailed model ship a man insists on building by himself while a boy and also a mouse named Mabel-both relegated to looking on while dreaming of voyages "free and full of wonder"-has its seaworthiness tested when a breezy night inspires the mouse to laboriously drag it down to the shore. Hardly have the man and boy, who both have tan skin and dark hair, rushed out to spot the missing ship sailing past than it hits a rock-which leads first to a double rescue, and then to the man's realization that he has companions now to share the repair work (and perhaps the dream, though the terse narrative never takes his point of view until the very end). The initially closed-off adult seems to be the central figure here since he's the only one who is changed by the episode, and as the proportions of mouse and boat alter repeatedly. The two humans seem to float over the water rather than wade in, as shown in Caldecott winner Cordell's finely hatched illustrations that have a misty, metaphorical cast. Still, the measured mix of visual and verbal narrative will draw in younger readers, and who doesn't enjoy joining an intrepid mouse on a seagoing adventure? VERDICT Introspective readers will join Mabel and the unnamed boy in dreams of distant wonders, but the nuances here may sail over younger audiences' heads. Purchase where books by Jonker and Cordell are in demand.-John Edward Peters
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2024
Preschool-Grade 2 In a small cabin beside a lake, a man and boy live (unbeknownst to them) with a little mouse named Mabel. Every evening after dark, she comes out and gazes at the man's most prized possession: a model ship that he meticulously made. She imagines herself sailing the ship as its captain, navigating by the stars. One night, she manages to move it outdoors and into the water. At the helm, she feels free and wonderful. In the morning, the man and the boy laugh to see her sailing the ship--until it hits a rock. They rush to rescue Mabel and the damaged vessel, which they all repair together. A bit tense (but not scary), the well-worded narrative will appeal to kids who yearn for adventure but shy away from actual danger. Reflecting the story's quiet tone, Cordell's beguiling shaded-pencil drawings aptly portray the courageous mouse, the boy, and the man who built the beautifully crafted, seaworthy miniature ship. An enjoyable picture book and a memorable read-aloud choice.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2024
A mouse with nautical aspirations realizes her dream. Wee Mabel gazes with longing at the cunning model ship fashioned by the man who lives in the lakeside cabin where she makes her home. It is the man's "prized possession," the product of many months of painstaking labor; he is so possessive that he won't even let the boy who lives with him touch it. Then one blustery night the cabin door is blown open and Mabel gets her chance. Using a mouse-sized block and tackle and some tiny logs as rollers, she lowers the boat and pushes it into the water to sail it all night long. When the man panics at the ship's loss but then sees it under sail with Mabel at the helm, man, boy, and mouse are united in awe and glee. Jonker taps into many children's delight in miniatures; they will thrill along with Mabel at her adventure. Cordell's scratchy ink and wash illustrations have a faded look, their sepias and pale blues giving the tale an old-timey feel that a gooseneck desk lamp only slightly diminishes. Mabel and the boy each wear a knitted watch cap, hers a pale red and his blue; when he lifts her in his hand at the end of the story, they smile at each other, fast friends. The illustrations mix full-bleed spreads with vignettes; the latter are framed in knotted rope. Sweet wish fulfillment.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)