The Barking Mouse

Plot Summary

Mamá, Papá, Sister, and Brother Ratón go for a picnic on a beautiful day. After a delicious lunch of medianoches and lemonade, Mamá and Papá smooch—eeewww!—and Brother and Sister must find something to do. And what could be more fun than teasing the cat behind the fence? But the fence isn't as high as they think! Faster than they can say, "Adios, Gato!" Brother and Sister are racing back to Mamá and Papá with the cat in pursuit. The brave Ratón family knows what to do—hide behind Mamá! But what will Mamá do?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,9

Awards

Notable Book for a Global Society, International Reading Association

Reviews

"Sacre heard this story from his Cuban grandmother, and though there are other versions from other places, this one is especially sprightly....The amusing artwork features a family of big-eared mice, full of personality and love for one another; that mother and father certainly enjoy kissing! A welcome choice for kids who speak English, Spanish, or both." Booklist

"Simple sentences and amusing characterizations may engage some children, but many will be put off by the mouse parents' obsession with "smooching." Aguirre's freshly hued acrylic pictures feature flat cartoon profiles and a variety of composition styles."
School Library Journal

"Peppered with Spanish words and phrases, this tale shuns predictability to the end, when Mamá, who has scared off the cat by barking, notes that "It pays to speak another language!" The acrylic images feature four hilariously hammy mice."
The Horn Book Guide

Associated Keywords
hispanic, spanish, bilingual, mice, cats, cat, folktale, folk tale, folk lore