This is a poem about the dangerous adventure of a mouse named Jam. Jam slows the scurrying of his mouse clan to smell a rose. The elders of his clan have told him the dangers that lay wake in the night and holding them up can put them in danger. Jam decides he is wiser and unafraid and jumps the fence to go on an adventure. He is nearly killed by a snake, but escapes by hiding in a log. He lives to be older and wiser and tells the tale to the young mice about the dangers that live outside the comfort of their shadow. This seemed like a rebel story, to me. The young mouse went out to prove the elders wrong. His attempt is to show that he is smarter and braver than they are. It is like a coming of age story. In order for Jam to understand the danger, he has to experience it. People aren't mice, but they desire to prove themselves on a regular basis. Sometimes they are successful and other times they are not. The poem was entertaining, especially how the author plays with words, such as “dangerouse” and “Jamagination”. They became unknown words for a character in an unknown world.The illustrations add a dramatic effect to the poem. The story takes place in the dead of night when things unseen lie in wake. Throughout the illustrations, there are eyes peering out through the dark spaces. The moon is high and full and creates a bit of mystery to the setting, highlighting the underbrush and the serpent as it slithers towards its prey. The ripple of the water gives the reader a sense of movement as eyes begin to appear. The colors are dark, but the surroundings are slightly illuminated by the moon. The darkness adds to the sense of danger. The colors in this book were really cool. They had dark blues like how it is at night and dark black landscape. It was fun to read this book I haven't read anything like it before. The characters are all pretty dark too. I think it might be frightening for a little kid to read this just because it has a dark tone to it and kids like bright things. But overall I thought there were good poems and meaningful ones too.
What do You think about Once Upon A Twice (2009)?
Interesting tale. Sometimes we always think we know best :0)
—Levi
