Best friends Horace, Morris, and Dolores do everythingtogether. So when they try out for the chorus and Dolores (whosings notes no one has ever heard before) doesn't get in, she feelshurt and angry and -- not like Dolores at all -- sorry for herself.But mostly she feels lonely, with her friends too busy rehearsingto have time to share adventures with her. So Dolores does what shedoes best and takes matters into her own hands. But can she proveto Moustro Provolone that there's a place for every kind of voicein the chorus?

In this sympathetic follow-up to Horace and Morris but MostlyDolores, Howe and Walrod depict a girl mouse's frustrated singingattempts and leaven it with humor. "Horace and Morris but mostlyDolores loved to sing." When they make music, Horace hits "the highnotes." Morris provides "the low notes." Dolores, whosevoice-bubble "La la la" is inscribed in a wavery line, sings "notesno one had ever heard before." No one minds, least of all Dolores,until she suggests the three audition for Moustro Provolone, achoral director with an artistic curl in his mustache and acollection of metronomes and record players. Aspiring performerswill share Dolores's painful shock at the call-back sheet: "Horace.Morris. Chloris. Gus." Where other authors might show a childfinding consolation in a different talent, Howe takes the difficultroute. Dolores adores singing and rebuffs a pal's patronizingremark that "the audience is important too." In a kindly resolutionthat calls to mind Kevin Henkes's deft handling of grade-schoolmatters, Dolores pens an imploring note to the Moustro, who ravesat her rhymes: "This would make a great song!... Of course you mustbe in the chorus to sing it." Dolores gets lessons, and Walrod'sendearingly odd acrylics picture the tin-eared chanteuse trying herbest among her pearly-toothed peers. Howe and Walrod never treatsuccess as a given and, as in the previous book, they suggestpersistence serves a mouse well.
　　A touching and funny sequel to Horace and Morris but MostlyDolores (Atheneum, 1999). When the three mice friends try out forchorus, Dolores, who often sings "notes no one had ever heardbefore" doesn't make the cut. She writes a pleading letter in rhymeto Moustro Provolone, asking him to reconsider his decision. Hedecides that the letter would make great lyrics to put to music,and, of course, Dolores must help sing it. He concludes that,"-everyone has a place in the chorus. Some singers just need alittle more help." Walrod gets an astonishing amount of expressioninto the characters' faces, and their strong friendship as well asa satisfying ending make this tale a winner.
　　Horace, Morris, and Dolores, the happy mouse trio who made such aspirited debut in Horace, and Morris but Mostly Dolores (2001), areback again, and this time the complications to their friendshipcome in the form of music. The mice try out for the choir. Horacesings, "Squeek to Me Softly of Love," and Morris sings, "Somewhereunder the Rainspout," and Dolores just sings loudly. Dolores'friends make the choir, and she doesn't, and she's sad and mad.Attempts at other activities don't work, and in her unhappiness,she writes a poem: "When I'm told I can't sing, the words reallysting--and my heart hurts as much as my pride." The choirmasterreads the poem, sets it to music, and Dolores is now recognized asa songwriter. The ending, which sees Dolores also getting to singin the chorus, seems a little optimistic. She's still not verygood. But this mouse trio has such presence and verve that a fewplot knots hardly matter. Walrod's delightful illustrations comelaugh ready, and the pure colors she employs have pick-me-upappeal.