Overview

One morning, out for one of its usual walks, a field mouse discovers something rather unusual: a mysterious blue object sitting at the foot of a big rock. As a group of animals gather to carefully inspect the object, they realize that a robin's egg has rolled down from its nest all the way at the top. Wondering who will roll it back up, the field mouse quickly volunteers, only to be met with laughter and mockery from its fellow animals. The field mouse, spurred on by a determination to prove them wrong, musters all of its strength to take on the Sisyphean task-but will it succeed?

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9781990252327

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Reviews

"""An epigraph quoting Camus (""One must imagine Sisyphus happy"") helps position the story, which champions persistence, even in the face of scorn, and highlights the quiet pride that can be part of doing something difficult.""-- ""Publishers Weekly, starred review"" (12/14/2023 12:00:00 AM) ""Vidali's digital art uses perspective beautifully to convey the massive effort undertaken by the field mouse as it struggles mightily to achieve its objective . . . A powerful, folkloric tale of persistence and quiet dignity.""-- ""Kirkus, starred review"" (12/30/2022 12:00:00 AM)"

"An epigraph quoting Camus (“One must imagine Sisyphus happy”) helps position the story, which champions persistence, even in the face of scorn, and highlights the quiet pride that can be part of doing something difficult. * Publishers Weekly, starred review * Vidali’s digital art uses perspective beautifully to convey the massive effort undertaken by the field mouse as it struggles mightily to achieve its objective . . . A powerful, folkloric tale of persistence and quiet dignity. * Kirkus, starred review * Any picture book that opens with words from Albert Camus has great ambitions . . . recalling Leo Leonni’s Frederick . . . One illustration makes quite an impact, with the tiny brown mouse somersaulting down the hill against wordless, double-page spread of sky blue. * Youth Services Reviews * ""What looks like frustration and futility—the Sisyphean struggle—can be recast as an exercise in grit and optimism... In the determination of the little field mouse, 4- to 8-year-olds will find a worthy role model well-suited to the active, purposeful nature of springtime.” * The Wall Street Journal *"

Author Information

Nadine Robert, the founder of the publishing house Comme des géants, has always had a strong passion for illustrated children’s books that have a powerfully built narrative approach combined with strong images. She is a recent recipient of the 2022 Governor General’s Award for her story Clover, and has received Best Book of the Year honors from Kirkus and a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book award. She lives in Montréal with her family. Valerio Vidali is an Italian illustrator whose picture books have been adapted into over a dozen languages across several continents. One of his recent works, Hundred: What You Learn in a Lifetime has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. Vidali is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book honors in 2013 and 2018. He lives in Berlin.

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