Fred the (Quite) Brave Mouse product reviews

Having been a great fan of Wal Footrot and the Dog for as long as I can recall seeing them, I was heartbroken to hear that Murray Ball had decided to end his drawing of them for personal reasons. So it was with great joy that I found this 2003 book being republished... welcome back Murray!

This is the tale of young Fred, a mouse who has inherited his mother's VERY long tail. He's alone, cold and looking for something... and then he smells... "Her". The journey to discover the source of this delightful girl-mouse smell forces him to step outside his home and confront the big world, and in the process encounter some friends, have some adventures, and eventually discover someone very special.

Overall, drawn in iconic Murray Ball style, and deftly coloured in watercolours, this is another classic tale from a master of Kiwi Cartooning. The story is cute, and makes for some awesome bedtime reading for the young ones. I would have said, at first glance, that the price was a little steep, but once I got it in my hands and saw that it was 80+ pages... worth every penny, though hardcover would have been my personal preference, just for durability's sake.