Marty Moose: First Class Mischief

3.8

5.0 (1)

326 0

Write Review Add to favorites

Author(s)

Claire Powell

Publisher

Candlewick

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

February 10, 2026

ISBN

978-1536247800

Buy This Book

"A roller coaster of a book loaded with mayhem, wordplay, burps and farts, and onomatopoeia that will keep readers tuned in and laughing out loud." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Who knew delivering the mail could be so perilous? A silly, mischievous story of independence, self-confidence, bravery, and friendship.

Just because you’re small doesn’t mean you can’t be brave.

That’s the advice Great-Aunt Ada gives Marty Moose for his first day on the job as a mailmouse for the Little Ditch Post Office. With his mailbag in hand, Marty is ready to follow in her footsteps, but filling them proves difficult even with the help of a scrappy and energetic bunny named Nibbles. When a pair of pesky neighbors prevents him from delivering his last package, Marty and his new friend Nibbles must figure out together how to finish the job, even if that means breaking the rules. With lively, funny, and characterful illustrations and a charming narrative voice, this series first is just right for newly confident readers.

Editor review

1 review

Humorous Transitional Chapter Book

January 30, 2026 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

3.8

Plot

3.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Marty Moose: First Class Mischief is a humor-filled chapter book about a mouse who, due to an ink mishap on his birth certificate, is known as Marty Moose. Marty wants to follow in his great-aunt’s footsteps and work at the post office, delivering mail. On his first day, he runs into several mishaps that make for an entertaining adventure.

What I Liked: The characters are hysterical, each one more outrageous than the last. From Nibbles , a super-energetic rabbit, to Velma and Vern, the feuding toad siblings, every character is memorable and adds so much to the story.

Claire Powell serves as both author and illustrator, using detailed artwork to bring Marty’s world to life. The map of Little Ditch is my favorite, as it allows readers to track how the locations in the story connect. With short chapters and engaging visuals on every page, this is an ideal transitional book for young readers.

Marty Moose: First Class Mischief is a must-read for any young reader who loves a hilarious, high-energy adventure

Sara Perrera, Staff Reviewer Top 50 Reviewer 204 reviews

Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0

User reviews

1 review

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0(1)

Characters

5.0(1)

Writing Style

5.0(1)

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0(1)

Already have an account? or Create an account

A Silly, Chaotic Read-Aloud Favorite

April 20, 2026 (Updated: June 12, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

I found this book to be genuinely funny and super easy to get into, especially as a read-aloud. I actually read this out loud, and it worked so well because of how playful and energetic the writing is. There are tons of silly moments, sound effects, and just overall chaos that make it really fun to perform while reading.

The story follows Marty, a small mouse who is determined to follow in his great-aunt’s footsteps and deliver mail. Of course, his first day does not go smoothly at all. Everything that can go wrong kind of does, and that is what makes it so entertaining. Even though he keeps messing up, you still want him to succeed, which makes him really easy to like.

One of my favorite parts was the characters. Nibbles, the bunny, is so energetic and a little all over the place, which balances Marty really well. Then you have the side characters like the feuding toads, who just add even more ridiculousness to the story. It never feels boring because something weird or funny is always happening.

The illustrations also make a big difference. They are detailed and expressive, and they help bring the humor to life. I especially liked the map because it made it easier to follow where Marty was going, which is helpful for younger readers.

Overall, I found this book to be a great choice for kids who like funny, slightly chaotic stories. It works really well as a read-aloud and would definitely keep a younger audience engaged the whole time.

Good Points

Super funny and perfect for reading out loud

Fun, chaotic characters that keep things interesting

Illustrations that really add to the humor and story