Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--In a delightful mix of gross-out humor and kid-friendly horror, Ross presents a rodent version of the story of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Squeak the mouse lives with violet-haired Grandma in a creepy old house. After entering a variety of contests, the duo receives a mysterious box containing a prize: "a wobbly jelly dessert--but with a whiff of something monstrous." When Squeak sneaks a bite of this sickly green blob, a bulbous mass stuffed with worms and body parts, he becomes Hyde, a giant green mouse with a never-ending hunger. After stuffing his face with everything in sight, he lets out a belch, which returns him back to his original state. This sequence repeats again with Grandma not discovering the identity of this monster who is eating her out of house and home. Finally, when it happens yet again, the two face off and Grandma defeats Hyde with a pineapple. Zany illustrations are reminiscent of Jared Lee's in both the "Black Lagoon Adventure" and "There Was an Old Lady" series. When Squeak turns into Hyde, the setting becomes dark and his green body appears almost as if in night vision. Several paneled pages lead to a comic book feel, and the classic onomatopoeia "Bang! Crash! Fizz! Flash!" along with campy alliteration adds a nod to this popular format. VERDICT A rollicking read-aloud for kids who enjoy Creepy Carrots! and other picture books that give readers the shivers while making them laugh out loud.--Clara Hendricks
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