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53rd out of 76 books
—
21 voters
Frederick
by
Leo Lionni
While the other field mice work to gather grain and nuts for winter, Frederick sits on a sunny rock by himself. “I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days,” he tells them. Another day he gathers “colors,” and then “words.” And when the food runs out, it is Frederick, the dreamer and poet, whose endless store of supplies warms the hearts of his fellow mice, and feeds...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
May 12th 1967
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published January 1st 1967)
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Jan 13, 2012
Amy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Amy by:
Lili
Shelves:
childrens
My niece and I both loved Frederick! When Frederick was telling his siblings to close their eyes and imagine the sun and the colors, my niece took his suggestions to heart. We live in the grey Pacific Northwest, so we totally identified with what cloudy, colorless winters are like! With her eyes closed, a little smile came onto my niece's face and she said, "Mmmm... I *can* feel the sun! And the colors *are* beautiful!" We both smiled at the end of the story, and agreed that it's a pretty great...more
Although this book is delightful for the kids, Frederick really inspires YOU!
I'm adding this review for the impact it has had on me as an entrepreneur, idea generator, and casual writer. I think Lionni wrote this book autobiographically as someone who was often focused on less tangible work (absorbing and imagining). While so many laborers around us do the "real work", we spend our time not conforming to the traditions: we generate free content, feedback, software, bug reports, etc., and to many...more
I'm adding this review for the impact it has had on me as an entrepreneur, idea generator, and casual writer. I think Lionni wrote this book autobiographically as someone who was often focused on less tangible work (absorbing and imagining). While so many laborers around us do the "real work", we spend our time not conforming to the traditions: we generate free content, feedback, software, bug reports, etc., and to many...more
Jun 12, 2008
Meghan Chiampa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
stoners
Recommended to Meghan by:
jesus
This is the best book in the entire history of planet earth. not only are the pictures of little paper mice awesome the story is about a little lazy mouse who keeps getting yelled at because he sleeps and just sits there all day. but he is day dreaming and then the mice are like WTF frederick, get your ass up and help, and he's like, no way, im collecting colors for the winters are grey. then in the end all the food is gone and frederick recites poetry and saves everyones life. BEST BOOK EVER.
6 likes · like · see review
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You read correctly. The book with the cute little poetic mouse holding a flower is maybe the only book to which I would give a one star review. This was on the recommended reading list for my four year old and I read it to him, excited because all the books on the list were so good. I'll have to start screening the picture books from now. This story is about a mouse who daydreams and writes poems while the other 4 mice in his small community gather nuts and straw for the winter. When the are all...more
Jan 28, 2012
L12_markmesserly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
picture-books
This simple fable involves a mouse, Frederick, and four other unnamed members of his family. They live in an old stone wall, near an abandoned farm. As winter approaches, four of the mice work hard gathering food for their survival. Frederick gathers survival materials of a completely unexpected, unusual nature, providing a wonderful twist to this popular fable.
The Kindle edition re-creates print versions, featuring Lionni’s simple, beautiful collages. Illustrations clearly support the text, wit...more
The Kindle edition re-creates print versions, featuring Lionni’s simple, beautiful collages. Illustrations clearly support the text, wit...more
1 like · like · see review
Frederick is the story of a mouse who spends his days observing the scenery, the sounds, the smells of the world around him as his family collects food in preparation for the long cold winter...As winter arrives, the family of mice retreat to their hideout in a stonewall, where they share food and stories. However as winter progresses and the food runs short, the mice become sad and withdrawn. Frederick shares with his family tales of the wonderful scenery, warm sun, colorful flowers and more th...more
1 like · like · see review
Lately, I have been re-reading many children’s books that I have not read since I was a child and “Frederick” is one of those books I have not read for awhile! “Frederick” is a Caldecott Honor book by Leo Lionni and it is about a laid back mouse named Frederick who seems to get out of his duties of preparing food for the winter, but ends up hiding an extraordinary secret!. “Frederick” is definitely a children’s book that children who love reading about poets cannot resist!
Wow! I was really impre...more
Wow! I was really impre...more
7 likes · like · see review
This is a cute tale about a mouse named Frederic who uses his imagination to make the Winter more cozy for his friends. As his friends work hard to gather food and supplies for Winter, Frederic sits back and does nothing. When his friends ask him what he's doing, Frederic replies that he's gathering things like sun rays and colors. Once Winter comes, the field mice eat their supplies and have wonderful chats. When they run out of supplies and words to speak, it's up to Frederic to save the day w...more
Feb 21, 2012
Samantha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
classic-picture-book
Living on an abandoned farm is hard work for a family of mice. They must spend every hour of the day working to gather corn and nuts for the winter. The entire group dedicates themselves to the labor...all except a mouse named Frederick. Gathering words and colors inside his head seems like a waste of time to everyone else! As the warm days turn to cold and the food is almost gone, the mice grow quiet and rather bored. Just when hope seems lost, Frederick introduces what he has been saving up fo...more
Frederick, a field mouse, idly watches while his four brothers gather food supplies for the winter. Frederick’s brothers feel that he is not doing his fair share, but Frederick insists that he is gathering his own special supplies. Once the food is gone, the brothers look to Frederick to share what he gathered and everyone is happy.
While this book is meant for a younger audience, what a wonderful lesson for adults as well! Frederick represents the "fine arts" if you will and teaches us that lif...more
While this book is meant for a younger audience, what a wonderful lesson for adults as well! Frederick represents the "fine arts" if you will and teaches us that lif...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jul 14, 2012
joanna Sondheim
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
pratt-children-s-lit
One of my favorite children's books. Frederick sits and daydreams all day while the rest of his mouse family is busy collecting fruits and nuts for the coming winter. When they ask him what he's doing just sitting there, he answers that he's busy collecting colors or words for when there are none. Finally the winter comes and the rest of the mice are feeling down because of the dreary weather, and Frederick is called upon to give them some of what he'd been collecting all that time. He tells the...more
Sep 05, 2012
Modboy
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Children who are special!
Recommended to Modboy by:
Suzanne at NH lake house.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Author: Leo Lionni
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Lectorum Publications: 2005
Reading Level: Early; Ages 4-8
Topic/Theme: Animal preparation for winter/ Family relationships/ working together
Issues Addressed: You may not be able to bring the same talents as other people, so instead reveal what your talent is and how it can help just as much.
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Individual Reading, Guided Reading
Summary: Frederick is a field mouse who sat around while his four brothers gathere...more
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Lectorum Publications: 2005
Reading Level: Early; Ages 4-8
Topic/Theme: Animal preparation for winter/ Family relationships/ working together
Issues Addressed: You may not be able to bring the same talents as other people, so instead reveal what your talent is and how it can help just as much.
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Individual Reading, Guided Reading
Summary: Frederick is a field mouse who sat around while his four brothers gathere...more
This book is great to teach children to slow down and absorb the world around them. Frederick is a mouse who doesn't work along with the other mice when it comes to gathering food for the winter. Frederick is often confronted by the other mice on his "laziness" or lack of work when it comes to gathering and storing food. He replies with remarks like " I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days." When the winter does come and the mice run out of food the mice ask Frederick to help them feel...more
At first I had mixed feelings about this book - as others have pointed out, I was surprised when the moral was NOT that he should have been helping others do the hard work.
However, there are plenty of other good children's books that have lessons about work ethic, saving up for hard times, and helping community, and very few good about the value of less-tangible work (writing, music, the arts, etc). Plus this is an example of treating others well even if they are different from you - since his...more
However, there are plenty of other good children's books that have lessons about work ethic, saving up for hard times, and helping community, and very few good about the value of less-tangible work (writing, music, the arts, etc). Plus this is an example of treating others well even if they are different from you - since his...more
So the story goes that you have 5 mice. Four of them work their little mousey tuchas' off to gather enough food to eat for the winter and enough hay to keep warm. Frederick sits on his butt and does jack. When the other mice confront Fredrick, he tells them that he is collecting colors for the dreary winter days or that he is collecting words.
So the winter comes and the other mice are generous enough to let Frederick eat their food and keep warm due to their collective gathering. Towards the en...more
So the winter comes and the other mice are generous enough to let Frederick eat their food and keep warm due to their collective gathering. Towards the en...more
3 likes · like · see review
I am a writer today because of this book. I remember reading this as a kid, seeing Frederick soak in the sun and colors around him while the other mice toiled away. I instantly realized -- that's the job for me! That's not being lazy. That's using your head. Besides, its Frederick who saves the mice colony in the end. When they run out of supplies, it's Frederick's words that help carry them through to Spring.
Great book. Great story. Great author and illustrator. Get this book for any budding ar...more
Great book. Great story. Great author and illustrator. Get this book for any budding ar...more
I just happened to pick this up at the thrift store today for my 3 yr old. I skimmed the first few pages and thought that the illustrations (and content) looked great. My assumption was that this was a book about a little mouse who didn't help get ready for winter - and would then suffer SOME repercussions for his selfish/lazy actions.
Nope - it was all about how he was an artsy slacker who everyone came to appreciate when they were starving in the dead of winter. What kind of lesson is this book...more
Nope - it was all about how he was an artsy slacker who everyone came to appreciate when they were starving in the dead of winter. What kind of lesson is this book...more
Caldecott Honor - 1968
This story reminds me of a familiar folktale of the grasshopper and the ant. Although in this version, the grasshopper’s counterpart, Frederick the mouse, does contribute to their survival. The illustrations are all created in a paper collage format against a white background. Lioni uses color to show: where the mouse live in relation to where they are, the feel of seasons changing, and the mood of the mice. By having the end pages show Fredericks name repeated over and ov...more
This story reminds me of a familiar folktale of the grasshopper and the ant. Although in this version, the grasshopper’s counterpart, Frederick the mouse, does contribute to their survival. The illustrations are all created in a paper collage format against a white background. Lioni uses color to show: where the mouse live in relation to where they are, the feel of seasons changing, and the mood of the mice. By having the end pages show Fredericks name repeated over and ov...more
Daddy remembered this one from when HE was little, and was disappointed in the reaction.
Frederick is different than the other mice. Instead of collecting grains, nuts and corn, Frederick always looks as if he is loafing around. His mice friends are not very happy with how little it appears that Frederick is working. Frederick says that he is collecting the suns rays and the colors of summer because winter is long and gray. Winter sets in and all of the stores of food are almost gone. Frederick pulls out his supply of sunshine and colors and restores hope to his friends. Frederick i...more
Fredrick is a poet, just as our students are poets. Spending time to notice the sun, colors, and words helped him create his beautiful poem that filled the other mice with warmth on a winter day. Use this book's experience to connect students to a poetry lesson, where they will go outside and observe their surroundings to help them form a beautiful poem. Teach them the power of words and how the words they form can move people. After writing their poems, have some students share their personal p...more
Well, all right. Yes, the book is adorable. Cute little mice. Cute idea of collecting good, happy memories as well as food. But is this condoning not helping others in the work? I mean, can they not all take turns to collect colors, words, and warmth as well as food? Something didn't quite sit right for me there. And what was with the "Scarlet Pimpernel" reference at the very end? I mean, I smiled. But it was a little odd. I'm wondering if I'm missing something in this book, or if I'm trying to...more
I adored this book about the poet mouse Frederick as a child; my son doesn't identify with it as much as I did. This is some of the best illustration Lionni ever did, in my opinion. Some parents (including, perhaps, me now) may not be as comfortable with Frederick not participating in storing food for the winter and instead soaking up merely sources for poetry... but still a sweet fable, with a positive end suggesting that those of us who do things differently still have something of value to of...more
One of my favorite kids book is Frederick. Frederick is a mouse. Instead of gathering food for winter like the other mice, Frederick gathers stories, sunbeams and fairy kisses. He brings the light in the darkest hour when tummies rumble and hope is all but lost that Spring will ever bloom again. In that hour, Frederick reminds them of sunbeams and dancing dragon flies. He brings them to cool, trickling streams and fresh beds of new grass. Summer is born again within the nest, even as the storm s...more
Frederick is a picturebook for nursery readers. I read the ebook edition of this Caldecott Honor Book.
This book tells the story of a family of field mice preparing for the oncoming winter months. Most of the mice gather nuts, corn, wheat and straw for the oncoming winter, but not Frederick. His siblings question what Frederick is doing and he is preparing for winter in a creative way.
Frederick was written and illustrated by Leo Leonni. His pictures are done in earth tones and provide the reader...more
This book tells the story of a family of field mice preparing for the oncoming winter months. Most of the mice gather nuts, corn, wheat and straw for the oncoming winter, but not Frederick. His siblings question what Frederick is doing and he is preparing for winter in a creative way.
Frederick was written and illustrated by Leo Leonni. His pictures are done in earth tones and provide the reader...more
A sweet little story of five mice getting ready for the winter. While the other four are busy collecting food to help sustain them, Frederick is soaking in the sunshine, colors, and words from the world around them. When the food runs out, he cheers his friends by sharing the memories of these things with his friends.
Although I liked this story, part of me could just not get past the fact that he didn't help them out, and that if he did, they might not have run out of food in the first place. Si...more
Although I liked this story, part of me could just not get past the fact that he didn't help them out, and that if he did, they might not have run out of food in the first place. Si...more
At first, I was offended by this book. After all, the other mice are working away to store up provisions for the winter and Frederick is just day dreaming. But then, when the winter comes, Frederick is able to give to the other mice in a way that inspires them, helps them make sense of their misery and gives them hope. I couldn't stop thinking about this book, even after we returned it to the library. My husband had the same impression.
In the end, I have concluded this is a valuable book. It is...more
In the end, I have concluded this is a valuable book. It is...more
My favorite Leo Lionni so far is probably the story about Frederick, the poet mouse, naturally misunderstood and unappreciated by his fellow mice. "Frederick, why don't you work?", they asked. "I do work," said Frederick. "I gather sunrays for the cold dark winter days."
So, all summer he sat there, gathering sunrays, and colors, and words. And then, when in the midst of winter "he told them of the blue periwinkles, the red poppies in the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, they...more
So, all summer he sat there, gathering sunrays, and colors, and words. And then, when in the midst of winter "he told them of the blue periwinkles, the red poppies in the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, they...more
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FROM PUBLISHER:
Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.
Leo Lionni has gained international...more
More about Leo Lionni...
Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children's books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner--for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.
Leo Lionni has gained international...more
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