Wallace, a mouse, could do almost anything. Anything that is, as long as he had a list. Wallace is a shy mouse. - He writes lists. Lists of recipes, funny words, and frightening experiences. - Wallace meets his lively neighbor named Albert. - His world is swiftly opened to new delights, such as painting and music. - Wallace and Albert experience the excitement of an adventure, and Wallace discovers a new joy. - Friendship. PreSchool-Grade 2–An earnest and likable mouse is so careful that he lives his life by lists. When a new neighbor introduces himself in the hallway of their apartment building, "Wallace would have liked to say, 'Hello. My name is Wallace,' but saying hello was not on his list." Albert's spontaneity and joie de vivre slowly win him over. The story culminates in a whirlwind adventure through the airport, into a luxury high-rise, and then back home again, where Wallace makes another list with his new best friend's name on it. The writing is memorable, and the authors provide just the right details. Larger than life in all sorts of ways, the chubby Albert spouts wise statements such as "Laundry is laundry... but music is life!" Landström's pictures are expressive and witty, with soft colors, strong lines, and lots of personality. The world depicted is an intriguing one, an urban setting where the mice-sized mice coexist with human-sized humans. With its positive message about trying new experiences and embracing the horizon-expanding wonders of friendship, this picture book is a winner. –Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. K-Gr. 2. Picture books boast a rich tradition of lovably neurotic characters, from Toad, in Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series, to the anxious lemur in Helen Lester's Something Might Happen (2003). Joining their risk-averse ranks is a list-loving mouse named Wallace. Every morning Wallace writes down the day's tasks and then doggedly ticks each one off the list. The drawbacks of this system become obvious when lively, intriguing Albert moves next door: "Wallace would have liked to say, 'Hello, my name is Wallace,' but saying hello was not on his list." As Albert shares his laid-back philosophies ("Wherever I go, there I am") and demonstrates the joys of spontaneity, it's not long before Wallace begins to experiment with following his nose. The artwork, by the illustrator of the Baa and Boo books, is charmingly messy with crosshatchings and squiggly fillips, initially providing a humorous contrast to Wallace's rigidity and then reflecting his increasingly laissez-faire mood. Kids and parents alike will appreciate this gently satirical commentary on our increasingly overprogrammed lives. Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “With its positive message…this picture book is a winner.” - School Library Journal (starred review) “Worried little Wallace … is an endearing hero … and Bottner and Kruglik chronicle his blossoming with affectionate wit.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “The book might dare readers to discover something new about themselves, too.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “This one goes on the recommended list.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) Wallace, a mouse, could do almost anything. Anything that is, as long as he had a list. Wallace is a shy mouse. - He writes lists. Lists of recipes, funny words, and frightening experiences. - Wallace meets his lively neighbor named Albert. - His world is swiftly opened to new delights, such as painting and music. - Wallace and Albert experience the excitement of an adventure, and Wallace discovers a new joy. - Friendship. Barbara Bottner is the author of many favorites for young readers, including Rosa's Room , illustrated by Beth Spiegel; the ever-popular Bootsie Barker Bites , illustrated by Peggy Rathmann; and Bootsie Barker Ballerina , also an I Can Read Book, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Together with her husband, Gerald Kruglik, Ms. Bottner has authored the award-winning picture book Wallace's Lists , illustrated by Olof Landström, and the I Can Read Book Pish and Posh , which she illustrated. Gerald Kruglik is the coauthor of Pish and Posh and Wallace's List. The author lives in Florida. Olof Landstrom is the illustrator of many internationally successful books for children, including the Boo and Baa and Will series with Lena Landstrom, and Benny's Had Enough and Benny and the Binky by Barbro Lindgren. He lives in Sweden.