LITTLE MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY CAKE
By
A second, more predictable, book about the hero of Little Mouse's Big Valentine (1990): Little Mouse thinks that his friends have forgotten his birthday. Instead of desponding, he sets out on skis to climb Mouse Mountain, enjoying his outing (admiring the view, he ""imagined that he was sitting on top of a giant birthday cake"") until he loses his way on the homeward glide. His friends literally track him down, then ski back with him to their surprise party. A better-than-average run-through of a popular formula: the details are offbeat, while Hurd's glowing, free-style illustrations are a pleasure.