If I Were a Mouse by Karma Wilson (2010)

This book is about a child that dreams of the possibilities of being many different creatures. As he explores the creatures he could be, he decides he likes being a child the best, but is thankful for his imagination that can help him pretend to be all of the creatures he is not.

I enjoyed the rhythm of this book. I thought it used a lot of creative language to describe each creature. I also liked the illustrations. They were colorful and really filled every page. Although I liked most of this book, I am critical of the ending where it refers to God as the creator. These few lines cause the book to not be universal to all students.

Although I think this book could be enjoyable for some students, I would not choose to use it in my classroom. I strongly favor no religion in schools, and that is why I would not use this book. Although I think it is a good idea for students to be aware of other cultures, I would feel uncomfortable using a religious book in my classroom because it is not something that I believe. I also don't want to start any problems with students or parents that are of a different religion than the one the book refers to.