Mo Willems is the king of simple, and “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed” is simply hilarious.  What is it with Naked Mole rats?  I never heard of them and then suddenly…  Mary Amato’s Naked Mole-Rat Letters is on the 2010 Rebecca Caudill list in Illinois and Mo Willems writes this one.  Both books are fiction, but Amato’s book shares many facts on the animal, but Mo Willems’ picture book is nothing but fun. 

Willems shares that, for his story, “you only need to know three things: 

1. They are a little bit rat.
2. They are a little bit mole.
3. They are all naked.” 

Except for Wilbur.  Wilbur hears his own drummer and likes to wear clothes.  This is definitely a book the kids are going to scream for, since you have to say the word naked on almost every page.  Subtle themes in the book are peer pressure and individuality, with a very satisfactory free-to-be-you-and-me conclusion.

The Jr. Hi. kids told me today that Ron on Disney’s Kim Possible has a naked mole rat named Rufus for a pet!  Rufus apparently is nothing like the real creature.  So, again, what is it with naked mole rats?  Obviously even Disney knows kids love the word naked.