Degrees of Affection

One of the most innovative and gorgeous picture books I've read, in ages! Why have I not heard of this book before?!

I cannot describe to how life-like the pictures are in this book. You simply have to see them and experience them yourself. I will say the page with an Owl coming after you and the one teaming with mice both caused me a twinge of fear.

But the story and the pictures that help tell it are lovely and very enjoyable no matter your age. A young, very curious mouse emerges from a long spell of reading human books only to discover he's the only mouse left in Germany. Newspaper clippings and run-ins with a new mousetrap let him know they fled to America. However, the ways out are guarded by cats, so he decides to fly over the Atlantic.

The drawings and attempts he makes before finding a good design are some of the best parts of the book. I love the mixture of realism and fantasy that is woven so seamlessly, it's easy to accept the premise of the book.

While mostly pictures, the text does a great job of filling in the details. Though it won't take you long to read the words, you'll linger over the images for quite some time.

A lovely book that was better then I'd ever hoped, I feel certain it will find a place on my shelves soon enough.