One sunny day, a grandmother mouse and her grandbabies take a very special trip to a famous nearby art museum that is embedded within its human counterpart. Cosette is pleased with the paintings they find, but Pépin’s hungry tummy frequently leaves him searching for visuals of food. Each painting provides the guests with interpretations of human experiences around the world and throughout time, but it is not until the final room that Pépin discovers what he is looking for. This child-friendly introduction to famous paintings blends artistry and whimsy in a charming way. The artist has selected several real paintings and recreated them, secretly placing two mice in each one. Though the mice have their own separate museum, humans are the subjects of the paintings there, and the mice themselves are anthropomorphic in appearance. The art and imagery in this book are its primary features, but the active, accessible narrative gives the story momentum and direction. Few words are used on each spread, allowing readers to understand the basic plot while investigating the illustrations. Unfortunately, the word “grand-mère” is printed with an incorrect accent, which is distracting for readers with a background in French. Overall, though, this book is a clever and enjoyable introduction to famous works of art through the eyes of a few cute mice. Because of the detail incorporated in the illustrations, this book is best suited to a lap read for preschool-aged readers. This is a unique addition to library collections for young children.

In this children's picture book, we follow a grandmother mouse and her two grandchildren on a visit to a mouse-sized museum.

The book is beautifully illustrated with reproductions of famous artwork, all of which hide an extra mouse!

My five-year-old struggled to connect with this book, most likely because it's not a traditional storybook or a classic work of nonfiction. The mice go through the museum walking past paintings without really discussing their content, although when I read further about this book I discovered that each page focuses on one of the senses.

I think this would work really well as an introductory book for an art class in primary school or homeschooling as it sets the mood and opens up discussions around the topic of art.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gnome Road Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This picture book tells the story of some mice who are visiting an art museum with their grandmother. Their inquisitive nature and interesting observations are a great entry way for adults to help guide discussions on artwork and what it is like to look at art in a gallery. It is a nice story and might be a nice addition to an art teacher's collection of books. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This is cute story with mice exploring a gallery of famous mouse-artworks. The one is looking for cheese but you should be looking for little mice in the paintings. A fun introduction to some great works of art.

Book Review: MousterWorks by Angela C. Hawkins

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my goodness, where do I even start with "Masterworks"? From the moment I laid eyes on the cover, I was completely charmed. It features the cutest little mice, Cosette and Pepin, who invite you into their whimsical world. This book is an absolute gem!

As they embark on a visit to a mouse-sized museum with their Grand-mère, the adventure unfolds in the most delightful way. The storyline weaves through galleries filled with famous masterpieces, but what makes it truly special is how Cosette and Pepin interact with the art. They’re not just passive observers; they ask questions and notice intricate details, which really encourages young readers to engage with art in a meaningful way.

The illustrations? Absolutely stunning! Each page is bursting with color and creativity, beautifully representing the various artworks while adding that adorable mouse perspective. Who would have thought that a hunk of cheese could inspire such imaginative play? It’s these everyday moments that Angela C. Hawkins captures so beautifully, reminding us that inspiration can come from the simplest things around us.

I can’t help but feel that this book is more than just a story; it’s an invitation to explore creativity and foster a love for art in children. It’s perfect for classroom settings, library story times, or just cozying up at home with your little ones. If you’re looking for a charming addition to your child’s library, "MousterWorks" is definitely it!

Bravo to Hawkins for this delightful creation!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Adorable! What a wonderful way to introduce even the youngest readers to great works of art AND encourage them to make art themselves. Cute illustrations, easy to follow story.

Enjoyable book for children. A great way for younger kids to experience classic works of art, possibly for the first time. I think kids will really enjoy searching for their mouse friends in each masterpiece!

A sweet little book. I love how the mouse children put themselves into whatever is happening in the paintings they pass. A great primer for anyone who wants to introduce their little ones to different pieces of classical art in a modified way, by which I mean not have the actually artwork pictured in it's true forms.

A must read! This story features amazing illustrations that draw the reader into the world of the mice. This is a fun, interesting, and educational book. It introduces children to famous works of art in a casual and accessible way. This is sure to become a favorite for many children and is a must buy!

This review will have the opinions of myself and my two children too.
The illustrations were what caught our eyes and they were beautiful throughout, giving the book a very whimsical feel to it. However the storyline didn't keep my 4 year old engaged at all, he got bored after a few pages as there was no substance to it, there was not really a plot just mice going through an art gallery trying to find cheese in each painting, which for myself felt too repetitive. After reading the blurb, I realised that the mice are exploring their senses and each painting has a hidden mouse in it, which was not obvious whilst reading.
Personally, I think this book isn't one you would pick up time and time again, more so to be used as a springboard to introduce children to classical paintings and artists.
Having said this, my 6 year old enjoyed the book especially the part at the end where the mouse paints his own cheese but he said he wouldn't read it again which is a shame as the illustrations are lovely.
I thank you immensely for giving me the opportunity to review this book, I truly appreciate it

This is cute and not very complex, it’s really more a showcase of creativity, talent, and art history in a digestible way for kids to enjoy. If you know a kid who has an interest in art, this would be a fun way to show them a broad spectrum of historical artists. Like said, it’s a nice book, and it’s also a book on art so obviously the style is gonna be appealing.

Museum of art, for mice. Darling! The author did a fantastic job of knowing how *most* children act when visiting an art museum.. “where’s the cheese?!” My own experience at the Louvre as a kid was very similar, “are we done yet? Can I have a snack?” I love exposing kids to culture and art and this book nailed it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

The story is nice and friendly, and the representations of known art are mouse perfect with
the best kind of wordplay. I know that the kids will enjoy it but those who haunt art museums (like my DIL) will absolutely love it when this preorder arrives!
The illustrations by the author are fantastically detailed, delightfully colorful, and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age from 4 and up, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley on Adobe Digital Editions from Gnome Road Publishing via NetGalley. Avail Apr 1, 2025
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I am not an famous museum art dwelling girlie. I am however a look at all the cute little mice characters girlie, and that's honestly what i loved the most about this book. I feel this would be best for littler kiddos who are learning about famous artists and want to see it in a new light. However i just read it, because the mice were cute, and that totally delivered too. <3

I was giggling the whole time I was reading this, the little mice were so cute! This is a great way to start introducing little kids into classic art.

Cute, with lots of real art references. Readers will have fun spotting the mice in the paintings. The kid characters were a little one-note, but they were really there to introduce the art.

This is the cutest book! The little mice go through an art gallery looking for cheese in the paintings. The drawings are amazing, I was so amazed by all the details in each page. I can't wait to pick up a copy of this when it goes to print for my preschoolers. There are so many things to look at in this book. I love books that have good illustrations, my preschoolers can look at books with cute pictures for a long time. I truly believe this book will inspire kids to draw and create masterpieces of their own.

Thank you Gnome Road Publishing for an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

*Cosette and Pepin’s Museum Adventure* is a charming and imaginative tale that sparks creativity in readers of all ages! When young mice Cosette and Pepin visit a mouse-sized museum with their Grand-mère, they are captivated by the art around them and inspired to make their own masterpieces. The book introduces kids to famous works of art in a fun and accessible way, encouraging them to see the world around them as full of artistic potential—whether it's a splash of milk or a hunk of cheese! With its lovely illustrations and playful story, it’s perfect for inspiring young minds to explore their own creativity.

MousterWorks is a FANTASTIC picture book that follows a grandmother mouse and her 2 grandchildren as the go to the mouse art museum. The family looks through all of the pictures, which have adorable mouse friends hidden within them. This one was engaging, super cute, and a great way to learn some art history!

Thanks to NetGalley, Angela C. Hawkins, and Gnome Road Publishing for the chance to read and review! My opinions are my own!

I love this book as a way to introduce small children to the wonder of art. The hungry young mouse in this story looks for cheese in every picture, and my local museum has a game young visitors can play by seeking and finding different items in paintings. That's brilliant, because it makes the reader look for details in a fun way. The illustrations are brilliant, and I love how famous portraits were reproduced in a kid-friendly way. It would be a great opportunity to share the originals and talk about the differences.
I loved this because it was fun, clever, and sweet. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this