The Wish Box
Little Mouse has many fears. His biggest fear is the Big Black Cat that lives in the park.
He has other fears too, like being alone and not being part of a family. He wants to feel safe and cared for. He is, after all, just a little mouse who is surviving all of the dangers of being vulnerable in this great big world. Enter, Grumpy The Iguana, the Green Parrot and Mr. Squirrel. They have decided to make Little Mouse a part of their family, and have presented Little Mouse with a very special gift called; The Wish Box. Join us as we watch Little Mouse conquer his fears and at the same time, carve a place for himself within his new family unit. The Wish Box is a story of bravery, strength and courage and of course the love of family.
What People Are Saying:
- Marilyn Panton rated it 5 out of 5 stars
Little mouse lives all alone and lives in fear of the big black cat that resides in the local park. He longs to be part of a family that will support, love and help keep him safe.
Grumpy Iguana, the Green Parrot and Mr. Squirrel observe little mouse's anguish and decide to open up their home, and hearts, and invite little mouse to come live with them and include him in their family. Little mouse is so grateful for the offer and gladly ( and thankfully ) accepts.
He is gifted with a very special box made out of finest tiger wood called the Wish Box. He looks inside and is overwhelmed with all the thoughtful and heartfelt suggestions that will bind their new family together. Some suggestions are: spend quality time together as a family, have a family meal together with all their favourite foods, take part in an art day, enjoy a picnic in the park day and together help someone in need day, just to name a few.
This is a beautiful story about an adorable little mouse who finds a loving supportive family to be part of and how he overcomes his fears at the same time. The illustrations are full of emotion and love. The book offers inspiration and encourages bravery, strength and courage. Endorsed by Storywraps!
- Lois Henderson rated it 5 out 5 stars
The Wish Box (A Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure), written by Susan Marie Chapman and illustrated by Natalia Loseva, tells of the adventures of Little Mouse, who feels scared and alone, and who wishes that someone would take care of him. Grumpy the Iguana comforts him by saying that his three friends, Mr. Squirrel and the Green Parrot, as well as himself, have decided to invite him to live with them. On settling down in his new home, Little Mouse, to his joy and great astonishment, finds a wish box. Mr. Squirrel says this is a family heirloom, which he gives to Little Mouse as a welcome present from all three of his friends. So begin the adventures of the four friends in this storybook geared toward children of three to eight years old.
As the fifth book in the series of Grumpy the Iguana and Green Parrot Adventure, Susan Marie Chapman’s The Wish Box clearly builds on the previous picture books in the series; however, it can also be read as a standalone work. The characters are all quite distinct from one another, which engages the young reader or listener in the story. The disparity of animals will be especially intriguing to children who have an interest in the unknown and unusual, as especially the iguana and the green parrot are somewhat different animals. The illustrations are sufficient to show what the animals look like, with there also being a cat featured, who transforms from an enemy into a friend. The Wish Box is a heartwarming read that could win over many more readers to the series, knowing there are even more stories about these interesting characters, who exhibit through their positive interactions the values of bravery, courage, strength, and love.
- An Honest Reviewer rated it 5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful story full of hope, compassion and love!
Grumpy (the Iguana), Green Parrot, and Mr. Squirrel show love and compassion as they welcome two new friends into their “family”. In this, her latest in the Grumpy the Iguana series, author Chapman has embraced some themes to which all children can easily relate: isolation and overcoming prejudice. These topics hit home to all of us considering the events the world has experienced since the beginning of 2020.
Many children are feeling isolated and lonely due to the restrictions resulting from the pandemic. Whether or not they live with a loving family, children need peer relationships to grow and develop. As Little Mouse is accepted into the “family” of friends, he is given a box full of “wishes” or ways to improve their relationships. Through this he learns acceptance, love and compassion. The latter is expressed as he reaches out to his former tormentor, Big Black Cat.
Cat has been dealing with fears resulting from the loss of his teeth which have left him in a very vulnerable state. He has been using a harsh demeanor to keep other animals at a distance without revealing his weakness. Little Mouse slowly sees the real nature of Big Black Cat and shares his realization with Cat privately. Cat is touched by Mouse’s courage and compassion and they become friends. Cat is invited to join the “friend family” and all are made better because of it.
Ms. Chapman has used her kind and thoughtful characters as messengers of hope to all who read this book.
- Anne Edester rated it 5 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book and think my kids would like to read all of the books in this series. I loved the bright colors and different animals as well as the story line.
- G. Connor Salter rated it 5 out of 5 stars
A very sweet little story about friendship and family which should end up being really saccharine sweet but throws some clever twists and little details that make it interesting and unexpected.
- Emma Robinow rated it 4 out of 5 stars
This is a sweet book with a wonderful message. I've never seen this series before but I will definitely look for the earlier books to share with my 3 and 5 year olds!
- Jessica Hacker rated it 4 out of 5 stars
A little mouse learns about chosen family, friendship, and the power of acts of kindness. Children will love this story and appreciate the simple illustration style. References to fun and quirky foods such as mango pancakes and papaya casserole will be things that could turn into in-jokes for families!