Just a Secret

Just A Secret. Gina and Mercer Mayer. 2001. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: I asked Dad to help me make something. It was special. It was a secret.

Premise/plot: Little Critter has a secret to keep--an actual secret to hide. Can he keep it secret? Can he keep it hidden? Or will he hide it a little too well?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. It was sweet; it was sweeter than I was expecting from Little Critter. Little Critter often makes me laugh.. 

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Just A Mess

Just A Mess. Mercer Mayer. 1987. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Today I couldn't find my baseball mitt. I looked in my tree house. I looked under the back steps. I asked Mom if she had seen it. She said I should try my room. I never thought to look there. What a mess!

Premise/plot: Little Critter has a messy room. (Anyone caught by surprise there?!) Since he can't get anyone to help him clean his room, he decides to do it for himself...in a way that only Little Critter can. (Well, I take that back. Little Critter's technique isn't all that original.) Will he find his baseball mitt?

My thoughts: Perhaps with the exception of Ramona Quimby (did she have a messy room too?) the character I most identified with as a child was LITTLE CRITTER. I love, love, love, love, crazy love Mercer Mayer's Little Critter.

The rest of the mess could fit under my bed. So I put it there. Then I made the bed. Won't Mom be pleased. 

 Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Me Too!

Me Too! Mercer Mayer. 1983. 23 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: When my little sister saw me riding my skateboard, she said...Me Too! Then I had to help her ride. I had a paper airplane that I made myself. But my little sister saw it and said...Me Too! Then she threw it in a tree.

Premise/plot: Little Critter HATES to hear his little sister say "Me Too!" Will I have to SHARE everything? Can he never have a moments peace?

My thoughts: I like this one. I don't know that it's my absolute all-time favorite in the Little Critter series. (Do most people have an ongoing ranked list of Little Critter books in mind?) But I really enjoy it. I love Little Critter. And I think he is a good big brother. And as the end of the book shows, she is a good little sister too.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Just Go To Bed

Just Go To Bed. Mercer Mayer. 1983. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: I'm a cowboy and I round up cows. I can lasso anything. Dad says..."It's time for the cowboy to come inside and get ready for bed."

Premise/plot: Will Little Critter go to bed willingly?! Or will his dad have to get super-creative and match the wits of his son?!

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, SUPER love Little Critter. I grew up on Little Critter books. I'm not sure if I love Little Critter because I grew up with him, or if regardless of when I met him I would see myself. 

Quotes:

I'm a space cadet and I zoom to the moon. I capture a robot with my ray gun. Dad says..."This giant robot has captured the space cadet and is going to put him in the bathtub right now."
I'm a sea monster attacking a ship. Dad says, "It's time for the sea monster to have a snack."
I'm a zookeeper feeding my hungry animals. Dad says..."Feeding time is over. Here are the zookeeper's pajamas." 

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

I'm Sorry

I'm Sorry. Gina Mayer and Mercer Mayer. 1995. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Whenever I do something wrong, I just say "I'm sorry."

Premise/plot: Little Critter is always careful to say, "I'm sorry." But he is definitely not always careful in the first place.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I didn't love, love, love it like I have other Little Critter titles. But it was definitely an enjoyable read. Little Critter can make a BIG, BIG, BIG mess. In this one, he learns--perhaps temporarily--that you have to be careful and considerate in the first place. Saying "I'm sorry" and then not changing your behavior shows you're not really that sorry.

This one reminded me of a Daniel Tiger song. Saying I'm sorry is the FIRST step, not the only step.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers

I Was So Mad

I Was So Mad. Mercer Mayer. 1983. Random House. 24 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: I wanted to keep some frogs in the bathtub but Mom wouldn't let me. I was so mad. I wanted to play with my little sister's dollhouse but Dad wouldn't let me. I was so mad. I wanted to play hide-and-seek in the clean sheets but Grandma said, "No, you can't." I was just so mad.

Premise/plot: Little Critter is having one of those days. He can't do anything that he wants to do. And the list of things he wants to do is LONG. Rejecting his parents list of things he could do instead, he decides to run away...after packing up a hefty supply of cookies...but will his friends' invitation to play ball change his mind?

My thoughts: I love, love, love Little Critter. I do. This book is fun. Little Critter's list of things he wants to do is quirky. Some readers can probably relate to. Others, maybe not so much. For example, one of the things he wants to do is TICKLE the goldfish.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers