The Grouse and the Mouse

This picture Kelpies book from Emily Dodd the author of Can’t-Dance-Cameron and the non-fiction Volcanoes is guaranteed to be a hit.

Bagpipe the rather vain Black Grouse loves admiring his glorious red eyebrows and his magnificent straight tail feathers. He feels sorry for his friend, Squeaker the Wood Mouse, who has boring brown fur and the most dreadful bendy tail. He ignores Squeaker’s explanations of why a bendy tail and being brown works for him.

But then Mr Fox comes hunting; and suddenly, being brown and bendy is the answer to Bagpipe’s staying  out of trouble.

As you would expect from Kelpies, this amusing tale also has a moral side, as the two work must together to survive and Bagpipe has to learn to value other characteristics than those he previously preferred.

Kirsteen Harris-Jones’s charming illustrations depict a recognisably Scottish countryside and bring the sounds sights and emotions of the story into focus beautifully.

Emily Dodd is a screenwriter for CBeebies science programme Nina and the Neurons and has written and presented science shows for the Edinburgh International Science Festival, the Scottish Seabird Centre, Edinburgh University, National Museums Scotland and Our Dynamic Earth.