Who knows the best way to be mad? Bear stomps. Hare hops. Bobcat screams. Mouse? He just can't get it right. But when he finds the way that works for him—still and quiet—he discovers that his own way might be the best of all. Linda Urban's story about self-expression and managing anger is both sweet and sly, and Henry Cole's cast of animal friends is simply irresistible. PreSchool-Grade 2—When readers meet Mouse, he is furious. First he is "hopping mad," but expert Hare informs him that he is not hopping properly and shows him the correct moves. On the animated spreads that follow, Bear, Bobcat, and Hedgehog demonstrate how to be "stomping," "screaming," and "rolling-around-on-the ground" mad. However, each time Mouse tries to imitate them, he finds himself sprawled in a mud puddle. It is not until he is "standing-still mad" and none of the others can best his motionless stance that he begins to feel better. Through playful language and expressive watercolors with colored pencil and ink, this story about anger management proves to be both entertaining and therapeutic. Just like the heroine in Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry … (Scholastic, 1999), Mouse finds his own way through his ire and, in the process, may help a few youngsters get a handle on their own.— Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. "Urban unfurls the gentle ‘be true to yourself’ moral perfectly, with plenty of funny dialogue, overplayed reaction and the enduring appeal of the tiny hero. Cole’s terrific watercolors reflect Mouse’s emotional growth in spreads and spots brimming with movement. Who knew standing still could be so dramatic? Well-pitched for preschoolers just learning social skills, this would be equally excellent for family reading, classrooms and storytimes."-- Kirkus Reviews , STARRED review  “Through playful language and expressive watercolors with colored pencil and ink, this story about anger management proves to be both entertaining and therapeutic. . . . Mouse finds his own way through his ire and, in the process, may help a few youngsters get a handle on their own.”— School Library Journal Linda Urban 's debut novel, A Crooked Kind of Perfect , was selected for many best books lists and was nominated for twenty state awards. She is also the author of Hound Dog True , The Center of Everything , Milo Speck , Accidental Agent , and the chapter book Weekends with Max and His Dad , which received two starred reviews. A former bookseller, she lives in Vermont. Visit Linda online at lindaurbanbooks.com and on Twitter at @lindaurbanbooks. HENRY COLE is the award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban, Shiver Me Letters: A Pirate ABC by June Sobel, and The Rubber-Legged Ducky by John G. Keller. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.