Also illustrated by Henry Cole: Little Bo in London: The Ultimate Adventures of Bonnie Boadicea Gigi and Lulu's Gigantic Fight Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban, illustrated by Henry Cole Ages 4-8 40 pages Houghton Mifflin Harcourt May 2009 Hardcover     Mouse was mad - hopping mad! - but unfortunately, he could not hop as well as a kangaroo. The fact he was outdone by a kangaroo made Mouse stomping mad, but he simply could not stomp as well as big black bear. That escalation made him screaming mad, but again, another animal (this time a bobcat) showcased his expert scream. This string of failures resulted in Mouse becoming rolling-around-on-the-ground mad, but even that was better expressed by a hedgehog. All of the commotion makes Mouse standing-still mad as he freezes in place. As Mouse stands strong and tall, the other animals stare at him, unable to emulate his uncanny skill. The bobcat twitches, the bear shakes, and the bristles on the hedgehog move slightly back and forth. Only then does Mouse realize that he has something to be happy about after all. Mouse Was Mad is a sweet book that will introduce young readers to a number of animals and emotions as each shows the others their strengths and shortcomings. Reading this book will not leave anyone feeling mad, but instead will result in the feeling of having just curled up with a very happy book.     web reviews   Lori West/2009 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)