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Can I Come Too?

Written by Brian Patten
Illustrated by Nicola Bayley
Peachtree Publishers            10/01/2014
978-1-56145-796-0
Age 4 to 8            32 pages
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“One day, a tiny mouse goes in search of the biggest creature in the world. Along the way, she meets a menagerie of animals. Each towers over mouse, but which is the biggest of all? One by one, mouse’s new friends join her quest. After a long day of searching, they finally discover a creature as big as an island and bigger than a million mice! Join mouse on her journey as she assures young readers that they don’t have to be big to have a grand adventure.”

Opening

“A very small mouse decided she wanted to have a very big adventure.”

The Story

A little brown mouse decides to find the biggest creature in the world. She thinks this will make for a grand adventure. By the lake, Little Mouse finds Frog, who is bigger than she is. Little mouse asks the brown frog,

“Are you the biggest creature in the world?”

Frog said no, but he thinks Little Mouse is brave for trying to find the biggest creature in the world. He wants to come along. Together, Little Mouse and Frog continue searching for the biggest creature in the world. They come upon several creatures, including a bird, a cat, an otter, a badger, a dog, a goat, a tiger, and a polar bear. Little Mouse asks each the same question she had asked Frog, but none of these magnificent creatures is the biggest in the world.

Polar Bear believes the biggest creature in the world lives in the ocean. One-by-one, each of the creatures Little Mouse and Frog came upon—all of whom joined the adventure—follow the others along the river to where it empties into the ocean. There, swimming in the salty ocean water, is a creature as big as an island . . . and the biggest in the world.

Review

Can I Come Too? brings together ten animals of varying shapes, sizes, and sensibilities on a journey to find the biggest creature in the world. Little Mouse was, of course, the smallest, yet lead the group by the lake, along the river, through a small valley, a city zoo, and up a small mountainside before ending at the ocean. The animals are cordial despite differences in size and natural instincts. A few are humorous, adding a new layer to the story.

The cat is inclined to enjoy both the mouse and the bird, but chooses instead to join in the adventure, its curiosity getting the best of it. The tiger—with “paws as big as frying pans”—even promises not to eat anyone if only he could join the adventure. Like with Cat, Tiger is unanimously welcomed into the growing group. The Little Mouse looks to be no larger than one of Tiger’s front claws. In this spread, five other animals show their claws, all of which are larger than Little Mouse. The Kingfisher bird comfortably rests upon Tiger’s tail as if it sits here daily.

I love that none of these animals had to be afraid of another. The journey is more important to them than following a natural inclination to make a snack out of a smaller animal. One of the funniest parts, to me, is when the group comes upon the dog. Little Mouse asks the dog,

“Are you the biggest creature in the world?”
[Before Dog can answer} The cat said, “He’s the scruffiest creature, but certainly not the biggest.”

I could hear the sarcasm in the cat’s voice as it scrutinizes the dog. Then there is the animal that Little Mouse never approaches, yet decides the adventure is worth joining, so it follows the group out of the zoo. I think kids will enjoy meeting these creatures and deciding for themselves if the group has met the world’s biggest creature. They will also enjoy identifying each animal and comparing each to the next, always larger, animal to join the group.

The colored pencil on cartridge paper* illustrations realistically portray each animal and its surroundings. The brightest object is the Kingfisher bird with its bright blue feathers—with white dots on its head—and an orange belly. Rather than a more traditional green frog, the artist created a brown frog, but kids will easily recognize each creature. The most beautiful spread is, appropriately, the spread showcasing the biggest creature in the world. The magnificent yellow-orange sky on the right shines down upon the ocean and the name of the creature, making them stand out. All the animals in the adventure stand silhouetted on the bank, marveling at the creature they have found.

Young children and parents will both enjoy Can I Come Too? In addition to the gorgeous illustrations and the variety of animals, the mouse’s adventure sends a strong message that one does not need to be big, or bold, or brave to enjoy a magnificent adventure and gain new friends along the way. I like that the tiger and the cat choose the journey and its surprises against eating the smaller animals (as is their nature), showing kids that it is possible for anyone to become friends when they have the correct mindset. Can I Come Too is the perfect first adventure for young readers.

*cartridge art paper is a very heavy drawing paper (90 gsm to 128gsm), and sometimes toned, and used mainly in Britain and Australia.

CAN I COME TOO? Text copyright © 2013 by Brian Patten. Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Nicola Bayley. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Peachtree Publishers, Atlanta, GA.

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Purchase Can I Come Too? at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—Peachtree Publishers—your favorite book store.

Learn more about Can I Come Too? HERE

Meet the author, Brian Patten, at his website:   www.brianpatten.co.uk

Meet the illustrator, Nicola Bayley, at her pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/bustersays/art-of-nicola-bayley/

Find wonderful picture books at the Peachtree Publishers website:   http://peachtree-online.com/

Can I Come Too? was first published in 2013 in Great Britain by Andersen Press.

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Also by Brian Patten

 

 

 

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Also by Nicola Bayley

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

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