Mama knits Little Mouse a bright red vest, and he is happy as can be. But along comes a duck and asks to try it on. It turns out to be a bit tight. Next comes a monkey, followed by a seal, then a lion and even an elephant. By this time, the cute little vest has gotten stretched all out of shape, and Little Mouse is utterly despondent. The problem of bigger and bigger animals trying on the tiny vest is clear even to small children, and they are pulled along by the anticipation of what will happen next. With the visual appeal of the bright red vest and the highly expressive and amusing pencil drawings, the book has been a perennial bestseller. The series of sequels this first volume spawned has grown to 35 titles, a clear measure of Little Mouse’s popularity.

★English sample translation is available.

45th anniversary in 2019! In 7 languages, 17 m copies sold!