Since this book was originally published, Minerva Louise has appeared in a bouquet of friendly picture books.  In this introduction to the character, our hen interprets the sights within a house through the lens of her normal view outdoors.  A tricycle is a tractor.  A bedspread is a field of flowers.  Stoeke effortlessly depicts a friendly way to encounter newness.  The illustrations are framed in rough rectangles on white pages, and the text is written in a large font at the bottom of each page.  All of the objects are simply drawn, with easy lines and bright colors.  A practiced provider of group storytimes will wish each picture filled more of the page (to be more easily seen across a room), but lap-sharing children will enjoy the subtlety, as they get to discover each new misunderstanding.  Minerva Louise’s story is a classic in the most deserving sense.