Cheese Belongs to You! - Softcover

Alexis Deacon's first picture book Slow Loris (2002) was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award. His second, Beegu (2003), was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award and selected by the New York Times as one of the year's best illustrated children's books. In 2008 he was chosen as one of the ten Best New Illustrators as part of the Booktrust's Big Picture Campaign. He recently illustrated Russell Hoban's book Soonchild. He lives in London, SE15. Visit Alexis at www.alexisdeacon.co.uk Viviane Schwarz is the author-illustrator of the highly acclaimed picture books There Are Cats in this Book and There Are No Cats in this Book, both of which were shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal (2009, 2012). The Adventures of a Nose was also shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Award. She was named one of the Booktrust's Best New Illustrators 2011. She lives in London, E2. Visit Viviane at www.vivianeschwarz.co.uk

Rat law is simple: if you find the cheese, then it belongs to you. Unless someone bigger, quicker, hairier, or scarier wants it—then the cheese belongs to them. If all the other rats exhaust themselves fighting over the cheese, then the cheese belongs to a kind rat who is willing to share. The text starts slowly and then builds on itself, until readers are left breathless after each long sentence. The illustrations clearly show how each rat is different and more terrifying than the last and are sure to produce squeals of fright and delight from readers. Surprisingly, there is a great lesson about sharing tucked neatly into the last pages, which gives this silly story a little extra heart. For a storytime that is sure to leave the librarian breathless, pair with There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, by Simms Taback (1997). Any way that a young reader experiences this book, whether during individual reading or in a group, this will be fun. --Tiffany Erickson