Review Detail

‘A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island’ by Summer Porter, illustrated by Maggie Chambers, does a nice job of capturing the beauty and flavor of Mackinac Island, a summer destination in northern Michigan that is home to some, but vacation spot to many. When Father and Mother Mouse and their children—Max, Millie, and Maizy—come to the island in bales of hay looking for the perfect home, they have to do some searching. They visit the Island Bookstore thinking they might be able to stay there, but when it doesn’t work out the way they expected, they soon find a place to call their own, complete with fudge box beds, a tasty staple sold on the island. As they begin working to earn their keep and live in their new home, they all find something to do to feel right at home.

The illustrations provide heightened beauty, especially for those lucky enough to have visited the island before. It is also especially interesting that not only did the author spend time visiting her family on the island, but the illustrator—who is the author’s niece—grew up on the island, graduating from the public school.

The story shows how starting over in a new place can bring uncertainty, but also lots of hope and goodness as everyone finds out how they best fit into their new surroundings.