I Love It When You Smile

reSchool-Grade 1 Little Roo is not having a good day, even though Mother Kangaroo does all she can to brighten it. Fuge's endearing illustrations not only fill the pages with exuberance but add humor as well. On almost every spread, a mouse and its duckling friend are pictured observing each situation, with the little mouse imitating Roo's activities. Expressive facial features change from Roo's initial grumpiness to a look of surprise and shock to final laughter after slipping in the mud. Excellent use of white space surrounding the slippity slide page emphasizes the brown goop of the mud hole. Endpapers are a cheery lime green with pink and purple flowers. While the heartfelt sentiment will probably resonate better with parents than preschoolers, this title is sure to be a favorite with fans of McBratney's Guess How Much I Love You (Candlewick, 1998). Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA