The grass may seem greener on the other sidebut in the end there’s no place like home. That’s what two boys discover in this fresh and contemporary version of Aesop’s timeless The City Mouse and the Country Mouse.” And it’s a great value, because the tale is told twice . When kids are done with one half, they simply flip the book over for a different side of the story! Jack can’t wait to spend a week with Adam in the suburbs. No more honking horns! No more hot and noisy subways! And he does enjoy the tree climbing, fishing, and triple-dipped cones. But soon he starts wondering what’s happening with his friends back in the city. And when it’s Adam’s turn to visit, he happily leaves behind his annoying sister and lawns that need mowing: hello, skyscrapers, skateboards, and shopping downtown! Then, just like Jack, he begins to miss all the familiar things he took for granted. Deb Pilutti’s witty writing emphasizes the similarities in the boys’ lives, while Linda Bleck’s vividly-colored pictures cleverly play up the differences. The result: a book that children will readand loveagain and again. PreSchool-Grade 3—In this takeoff on Aesop's fable, city-dweller Jack can't wait to visit his cousin Adam in the 'burbs. Once there, the boys enjoy bicycling through the neighborhood, fishing, shopping, watching a movie, buying ice cream, and sleeping outside. But Jack begins to miss the city and is happy to get back home. Turn the book over and it's Adam's chance to visit Jack's apartment where the boys repeat the same adventures in the same order with the flavor and sounds of an urban environment thrown in. In the end, Adam decides that his favorite place is home as well. The author and illustrator do a great job of showing how a slightly different perspective still yields the same fun for the boys. The full-color, slightly flattened, retro cartoon illustrations "using gouache and at least 10 brushes" perfectly capture the changing scenes, and readers will agree that it's tough to decide which experience-city or suburb—is more fun.— Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.