"Blue Moose on The Loose"

Christina VanGinkel

I would like to introduce you to 'Blue Moose on the Loose', which highlights Mouse McGhee...

Mouse McGhee is an illustrator ‘in’ picture books. What happens when he decides to set sail one evening? He creates a beautiful moonlit ocean complete with frothy waves and whales...but as he puts the final additions on his boat, he discovers that a moose has wandered into the wrong story. Moreover, he has painted right onto moose! Can Mouse McGhee paint fast enough to avert disaster...? Now, after a dunking in the blue-cheese sea, where has moose run off?

Blue Moose on the Loose

One big blue moose is on the loose,
Inside this very book.
Romping, stomping, through the pages!
So would you, could you look?

A moose that's blue? You ask me how?
Oh where to even start,
It's quite a story to hear told,
Each and every part…

First let me introduce myself,
My name is Mouse McGhee
Illustrator of story tales,
And sometimes, well, you’ll see…

This all began pages ago,
One breezy summer night,
When I declared, "I shall set sail,
Beneath the bright moonlight"

I gathered up all my brushes,
Ladder, tarps, and pails,
And painted on page one and two,
Big frothy waves and whales.

But on page three, something occurred...
I'd painted on…“An ear!"
I suddenly discovered that
I'd painted moose headgear.

His antler on the right was wet,
The left one almost dry,
That I did do this to a moose,
 "Oh dear, Oh me, Oh my!"

From where the moose did wander in,
I really wasn't sure,
But there he was, across the page,
With fishing net and lure.

He looked at me quite terrified.
I stared at him the same.
So swiftly did he stomp and storm,
We instantly became,

All tangled up in fishing lines,
Nets full of abalone
Backstroking in a sea of blue…
Cheese and macaroni!

Now if I could, I would tell him,
That I apologize,
But if it's you that finds blue Moose,
Please!
Tell him I sympathize!