Read Aloud Stories: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

About the Story

At the beginning of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, an unnamed boy offers a cookie to a mouse, launching a long series of requests. First, the mouse needs a glass of milk to go with the cookie. Drinking the milk requires a straw, and finishing his snack requires a napkin. The boy continues to fetch the mouse whatever he asks for, patiently responding to the mouse's whims.

As the book progresses, the mouse trims his hair, sweeps the house and washes the floors. Tired by this activity, the mouse decides he needs a nap. The boy prepares a bed for the mouse and reads him a picture book. However, the story's pictures inspire the mouse to draw a picture of his own.

When the mouse and boy hang the picture on the refrigerator, the mouse realizes he's thirsty. He asks the boy for a glass of milk. The glass of milk, though, makes the mouse think of cookies, leading the story to end where it all began.

Ideal for Reading Aloud

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a fun and entertaining story to read aloud with your child. The succession of favors and activities weave a whimsical trail through the pages that your child will enjoy. Your child may also relate to many of the mouse's impulses. Though there is a human in the story, it's the mouse who acts most like a little boy, excited by his options and quickly moving from one activity to another.

The artwork in the story is sure to fascinate your child. Each page features colorful illustrations that vividly portray what is occurring in the text. Also, the images are highly detailed, often including items in the background that relate to points in the story that already occurred or will happen soon. Spotting these details will help your child engage with the story.

Further Reading Opportunities

If your child enjoys If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, then consider reading other stories in the series. The original story was popular enough to inspire an entire line of similar books. These include If you Give a Moose a Muffin, If You Give a Pig a Pancake and If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. Laura Numeroff has also written other stories featuring the mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, including The Best Mouse Cookie and Time for School, Mouse!