Little Mole Finds Hope by Glenys Nellist
Publisher: Beaming Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When Little Mole is feeling sad in his dark, underground home, his mother shows him how to look for hope. He finds that signs of spring are everywhere, from the daffodil bulbs under the soil to the tiny buds on the branches above. Hope can be found–even in the darkest places.

In Little Mole Finds Hope, best-selling children’s author Glenys Nellist and illustrator Sally Garland tell an endearing story sure to lift the spirits of people emerging from the cold of winter or a challenging season of life and inspire them to look for signs that spring will come again.

A little kindness can go a long way.

Little Mole was such a sweet and relatable main character. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed how sad he was on that chilly winter afternoon and how far away spring felt to him. Not only was this a good representation of the difficult days everyone goes through at times, it would also be a great jumping off point to describe specific illnesses like seasonal or non-seasonal depression to kids who might be experiencing them or know someone who is. I appreciated the versatility here as it meant that a wider range of people could find something to connect to as Little Mole learned his lesson.

The multiple layers of meaning in this tale made it one of those rare picture books that I’d be just as eager to recommend to older kids and adults as I would to the preschoolers and early elementary students it was originally written for. I love it when writers speak to so many different audiences at once while still remaining true to their characters and plot. This isn’t easy to pull off, but it has convinced me to keep an eye out for everything else Ms. Nellis has already written or will write in the future.

I was also impressed by Little Mole’s warm relationship with his mother. She affirmed his sadness while also encouraging him to take a second look at the assumptions he was making about the world around him. Scary thoughts don’t always tell the truth, after all, and there is something to be said for challenging them when there’s evidence that contradicts them. Her love and compassion for him made me wish for a sequel all about her. I adored her!

Little Mole Finds Hope was perfect.