Completely unaware of the many dangers surrounding him, Patrick, a self-confident little mouse, sets out on a springtime stroll, narrowly--and unwittingly--avoiding hungry animals, falling irons, and other potential catastrophes Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Patrick thinks the world a pleasant place; he is oblivious to the dangers around him and just as unaware of his narrow escapes. A hungry bird swoops and hits a branch just above him, and a hungry snake bites a pitchfork when the young mouse ducks to sniff a flower. All other dangers are unwittingly dodged until Patrick, aware of his final escape, exclaims, " 'That was a close one! Must be my lucky day!' " The illustrations, while depicting Patrick's near misses, fail to convey the sense of motion necessary to dramatize the action. The layouts are occasionally confusing, with some half-spreads running into each other and breaking the visual flow. While children may be drawn to the colorful, cartoonlike pictures, they are somewhat amateurish, and the rather mundane text fails to generate much excitement. Ron Roy's Three Ducks Went Wandering (Clarion, 1979) uses the same idea with more humor and success. --Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TX Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.