Thank you so much to Booksgosocial / Nightingale Books and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

This was a quite an odd story, it didn’t really feel completed in anyway and not much really happens. It’s a shame honestly as they hinted at what could have been a great adventure book or a great family story either of the two stories hinted could have made this book great but it didn’t really have either.

We got the lesson of being honest is the best thing to do, an important lesson for children for sure, but it would have also been nice for Mozerella to have still made the cheesecake with his Nonna and sister instead of missing out. We also got a glimpse at what has happened to his parents but the story abruptly ends and we don’t get to further that which isn’t a good things at all, we were lead into it and then got nothing.

The illustrations though cute were also a bit strange, you could tell they were computer made illustrations. I did like all the included actives and the additional Italian facts and language you could learn at the end of the book, i always like book that include extra things for kids to do. Overall I think this could have been a really exciting and wonderful book, but it really wasn’t which is such a shame honestly, it was still good but could have been miles better.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for my review.

An enchanting tale unfolds around Mozzarella the little mouse, who resides in a church basement with his grandmother and sister, Fontina.
As their parents embark on a family quest, leaving the siblings behind, they receive alarming news of their parents' disappearance. Despite the uncertainty, their determined uncle promises to find them.

This story is brimming with charm, featuring endearing characters and delightful illustrations. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I found myself somewhat disappointed by the cliffhanger ending. Nonetheless, the engaging activities and insights into Italy at the book's conclusion were a welcome addition.
Eagerly awaiting the next story soon?

What a cheesy fun book! A family of mice in Italy are waiting to hear more from the parents who are in NYC looking for a great mouse treasure! There is sibling rivalry and a confession of the truth of naughtiness between the little siblings. There is also a simple recipe for New York Cheesecake and a few fun paper activities. I'm glad that there will be more adventures coming soon!
The illustrations by the author are clear, imaginative, colorful, and fun.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on PDF from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!
Available 29 Feb 2024

This was a cute book and I loved the art style! I am quite fond(u) of cheese related names so this hit the mark for me (haha!)

The story itself was a little lacklustre, however. I think the moral was an important one (honesty is the best policy) but I think it would’ve benefited from a little more excitement. I think having the activity pages at the end was a nice touch too.

Unsure whether this is relevant for me to leave in my review but there were a few missing left side quotation marks on the dialogue.

All-in-all, a sweet book that I think could benefit from a tad more storyline/excitement.

The book starts off on a friendly note by introducing us to the family, setting a warm tone for the rest of the book. It's cool that they've included activities to pick up a bit of Italian along the way, and the recipe at the end is a neat touch.

However, I have to admit, the story itself didn't quite hit the mark for me. It felt a bit lacking and didn't hold my interest as much as I had hoped. But hey, that's just my take on it.

On the bright side, the illustrations are beautifully crafted and add a lot to the overall charm of the book. Even though the story didn't quite do it for me, I still appreciated flipping through the pages to admire the artwork. Overall, "Mozzarella" might not be my top pick, but it's still worth checking out for the lovely illustrations and bonus activities.

A delightful original children’s book. The story of a family of mice from Italy.

Quite atmospheric with a sense of place and the love of travel at its heart. The children’s parents are travelling, perhaps in New York from a postcard they receive.

Being Italian they have no trouble going into the kitchen and making a cheesecake to celebrate this news update.

With text on one page and a colourful illustration opposite this is a traditional read along story. The idea is that in each episode some moral issue will be addressed. Here the sense of getting someone into trouble and not being honest about what happened.

I liked the concept and the overall direction the author wants to take her books. However, I found the additional layer of this search for the ‘lost treasure’ confusing but then I might have missed an earlier book where the context was made clearer.

Overall though it is a good tale about family life and getting along together. The additional elements of learning some Italian words and even making your own cheesecake were a real bonus and a nice surprise to mark this out as a treasured book and something different to read and share.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC. This was a sweet story of a mouse and his sister. They live with their Nonna and their parents seem to be missing. The story was very short without many details, but the back of the book had fun Italian word games. My daughter liked the mouse falling into the flour.

I really liked the concept and setting of this book, but I wasn't a fan of the illustrations or the plot. The illustrations weren't really inviting and the plot of the book seemed like it was two books in one and ended on a cliffhanger. I think this would've benefited from either being shorter and removing the parent plot, or making it longer (and for older kids) with a finished story for the parents. I did really like all the Italian words and phrases added into it.

I enjoyed the book, it perhaps my son is too young and so he didn’t find the story so captivating. I’m not sure what game this should be aimed at but I feel it’s perhaps children of 3/4 or older as the story and language used is complex so little readers loose interest quickly.

I received an ARC of this children's book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute book and I loved the setting, in Italy!

It is a very cute story with much potential. However finishing a children's book with a cliffhanger makes no sense to me, not for children this age.


I’m not a fan of the illustrations, it’s just not my taste. I did like the activities at the end, it’s a nice way to learn Italian!

I think I loved it more if it was just about making cheesecake with Nonna or only about their missing parents.

The illustrations in this book are so beautiful and life like. I loved the mice and the talk of adventures.
Loved the names of the mice too. A really cute story of mice and their family adventures.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

The illustrations are darling and the characters are relatable. I thought the back was fun with the activities.

This is a really sweet story for children to enjoy. The visuals are engaging, but not overbearing. Children can learn about Italy and identify its scenery though their main character Mozzarella.

The illustrations and character names were absolutely adorable. But the book itself did not have much substance. I could definitely see my students reading this if it was in a comic format, or if it was a longer chapter book. The language is simple and easy to follow, but there isn't enough details to capture children's attention like with a short story.

It is a very cute story. However, finishing a children's book on a cliffhanger like that I did not enjoy, to me it makes no sense.
The illustrations could be cuter but that is a personal thing, I did not like them.
I did like the activities at the back of the book but it would be nice to incorporate them or link them somehow to the story.

Mozzarella’s parents are on a quest for Golden Bocconcini. Follow Mozzarella’s escapades with their sister and Nonna whilst they wait for their parents to return.

What a lovely touch adding in activities at the end to further keep your little one engaged with Mozzarella and their adventures.

Myself and my little girl look forward to more Mozzarella adventures.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a charming and heartwarming book, the story was delightful and the colors were so warm and welcoming making it a lovely book to read.

What cute little story with a good lesson! Honesty is really the best policy! The recipe at the end was nice touch so we could experience what fontina and mozzarella did

The illustration is so cute!! This is a decently intricate, yet attainable, storyline. Could appeal to a wide range of ages. Includes fun activities, recipes, and a character key!