Douglas

In his follow-up to Lucy, Randy Cecil again tells a visually arresting tale in four acts — this time about a brave movie-theater mouse on a daring adventure.

When Iris Espinosa goes to the cinema, she doesn’t expect to meet a small mouse. And she certainly doesn’t expect that mouse to stow away in her sweater pocket. At home, Iris is delighted by the mouse’s daring, which reminds her of the actor Douglas Fairbanks. And so begin the adventures of a sweet, plucky mouse named Douglas, who must overcome obstacles aplenty, from hungry cats to broom-wielding humans, as she journeys across the tall rooftops of Bloomville to return to her movie-theater home. Full of high-stakes chases, clever escapes, and valiant rescues, Randy Cecil’s story is a cinematic and meticulously crafted celebration of courage and friendship.

“In this superb companion tale to Cecil's Lucy (2016), the worlds of a moviegoing girl, an audacious mouse, and a crafty cat mingle and clash in Bloomville...The artist's duotone-spun, vintage artwork recalls the quaint splendors of yesteryear, peppered with minor visual gags and worldbuilding details. Primary human characters present white. A splendiferous wowzer. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)”

In this superb companion tale to Cecil's Lucy (2016), the worlds of a moviegoing girl, an audacious mouse, and a crafty cat mingle and clash in Bloomville...The artist's duotone-spun, vintage artwork recalls the quaint splendors of yesteryear, peppered with minor visual gags and worldbuilding details. Primary human characters present white. A splendiferous wowzer.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The book is organized into four “acts,” and repetition is employed to interweave story lines and characters. The plot is well paced and smartly presented, with no more than a few sentences on each page. A thoughtful balance of image and text allows for gentle humor to emerge as readers follow the intrepid mouse’s adventures.
—The Horn Book

The book follows Douglas throughout the city, highlighting a variety of subplots—the one with a boy finding a companion in one of Douglas’ feline pursuers is particularly satisfying—and youngsters familiar with the eponymous Lucy of the last book will be happy to spot her here. While the vocabulary will likely stretch some kids’ skills, the focused illustrations and episodic “acts” make this an easy pick for transitional readers.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Cecil’s tale is reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo, Beverly Cleary, or any other author exploring the inner lives of animals and how they interact with a human world that can be big and scary, as well as full of love and friendship.
—School Library Journal

All types of readers will be rooting for the little mouse to make it home safely. It would make a great read aloud and teachers could use it as a catalyst for many creative projects. Since the story ends with Douglas back in Iris’s pocket, students could create new and original adventures of their own design either through writing, podcasting, or making videos.
—School Library Connection

Randy Cecil is the illustrator of many books for children, including Lovabye Dragon, Evermore Dragon, and Sail Away Dragon, all written by Barbara Joosse, and Brontorina, written by James Howe. Randy Cecil is the author-illustrator of Lucy. He lives in Houston, Texas.

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