Aberdeen by Stacey Previn

Aberdeen is a sweet little mouse with a lot of curiosity. He "didn't mean to leave the yard. BUT a balloon floated by, so he followed it." Aberdeen wanders away following the balloon and gets carried away (literally) on a little adventure. Eventually, his adventure turns scary when he is confronted with an owl. Scared and lonely, he manages to frighten away the owl and find his way home. He apologizes to his mama for making her worry, "I didn't mean to make you worry." The story finishes with Aberdeen getting a hug and his mom saying, "BUT you did."

This was a sweet story although it wasn't earth-shaking. However, I did find the abrupt and somewhat cryptic ending a little disturbing. I can see it's meant to circle back to the beginning, but it just sounds kind of weird. The rich watercolor art is lovely, especially cute little Aberdeen, his balloon, and the brightly colored flowers. I did think Aberdeen's mother's face in the penultimate spread was a little out of perspective.

Verdict: A peaceful, sweet story, albeit without particularly memorable characters or plot. If you are looking for additional picture books, especially about listening to parents or staying focused, it would make a nice addition to the library.

ISBN: 9780451471482; Published 2016 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library