Mabel and the Big Wide World — Paul Stewart

Mabel the mouse lives in a barn with her brothers and sisters and outside is the big, wide world. The other mice love exploring and playing outside but Mabel is afraid… of great big HAIRY things and teeny weeny scary things. In fact she’s afraid of everything outside. “I’ll just stay in here” says Mabel. “For ever!” But when a dazzlingly beautiful rainbow appears outside in the sky, will Mabel dare to brave the outside world to get a better look? The prizewinning duo of Paul Stewart and Jane Porter make ingenious use of the smallest member of a mouse family to tell a heart-warming story about conquering fear of the Big Outside, but also about helping others. They beautifully portray that satisfying moment in every child’s life when they can say to a younger sibling, “That’s what I used to say …” Going out and experiencing new things can seem scary to start with, but missing out is worse. Jane Porter’s brilliant and lively illustrations perfectly capture how feelings of anxiety and uncertainty can change into delight, confidence and freedom.