Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Pierre in Love
Illustrator: Petra Mathers
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 8
Scholastic, 2007 ISBN: 978-0439517409
Pierre the mouse is deeply and completely in love. He would dearly like to tell the lady in question how he feels but Pierre is just “an ordinary fisherman” and he is convinced that his Catherine could not possibly like a mouse like him. Catherine is a ballet teacher and she seems completely beyond Pierre’s reach so that all he does about the situation is to sigh and to dream. Then one day Pierre pulls up a beautiful seashell in his nets and he decides to give the lovely thing to Catherine, as a token of his love and admiration.
When it comes down to it though, Pierre ends up leaving the shell on Catherine’s doorstep. He simply cannot face her. Nor can he cannot face her when he brings her some flowers, a heart-shaped wreath, and some oysters. Each time he leaves the gifts on the doorstep and goes away to dream some more about Catherine and his love for her.
Then at last Catherine decides to wait for her secret admirer and Pierre is caught in the act of delivering yet another gift. Will Pierre finally be able to tell Catherine how he really feels and will their love blossom?
In this is a charming story about unrequited love, love lost, and love found readers will finds themselves quickly getting involved in the doings of Pierre and Catherine. The author teases us for just when we think all will be well things go wrong, and just when we think all is lost, love at last prevails and a happy ending unfolds before our eyes.
