The Pink Refrigerator quite literally speaks to those of us who spend too much time in front of a screen. Dodsworth the mouse is in a bit of a rut. Every morning he visits the junkyard, where he scrounges for items to sell in his thrift shop. He makes a living from his thrift shop, but it doesn't keep him very busy, and he spends most of his time sitting around watching TV. One day Dodsworth notices an old pink refrigerator in the junkyard. The refrigerator has a note on it that says "Make pictures". Opening up the fridge, he finds "a beautiful assortment of paints and brushes and a little red sketchbook." Initially, he takes the items so that he can sell them, but something in the note compels him to try them out instead.
Every day, Dodsworth finds a different note on the refrigerator and a different set of items inside. He learns that there are other interesting ways to spend time besides watching television (like reading, cooking, gardening, etc.). By the end of the book, Dodsworth is a changed mouse, with a broader perspective.
The message of The Pink Refrigerator is clear. Life is more interesting if you get out of your own rut and try new things. A gorgeous story made more beautiful the treasure trove junkyard and the LoType font.
Houghton Mifflin, 2007, 32 pages
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