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Jan 17, 2012

Amy rated it:

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 More...

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Jan 05, 2009

Micah rated it:

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 repo More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jun 12, 2008

Meghan rated it:

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.

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Jan 28, 2012

L12_markmesserly rated it:

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 t More...

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Mar 05, 2011

Heather rated it:

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 More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 28, 2010

Ronyell rated it:

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 w More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Feb 16, 2010

Michelle added it

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 wil More...

1 comment like

Mar 06, 2010

Kendra rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Mar 01, 2009

Krystal rated it:

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

More...

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Apr 20, 2009

Sabrina rated it:

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 Frederic More...

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Oct 27, 2011

Eli rated it:

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 gatherin More...

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May 28, 2010

Joy rated it:

Level: P

For the record, I want a Leo Lionni mouse. They are so cute. I wonder if they make a stuffed one.

Frederick doesn't seem to work while the other field mice are working. He says he is gathering things. But when the winter gets long, he is able to share what he gathers with the rest of his family.

1968 Caldecott Honor Book--It was beat out by Drummer Hoff and the other nominated books are Seashore Story and The Emperor and the Kite which I have not see More...

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Aug 13, 2010

Robert rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 04, 2009

Melissa rated it:

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 More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 26, 2011

Crista rated it:

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 ov More...

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Mar 05, 2008

Terry rated it:

Daddy remembered this one from when HE was little, and was disappointed in the reaction.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 15, 2010

Nancy rated it:

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...

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Apr 10, 2011

Alexa rated it:

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...

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Jul 11, 2009

Heidi rated it:

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 More...

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Aug 25, 2009

Kelly rated it:

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 sto More...

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Jan 17, 2012

Jacki rated it:

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 More...

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Jun 18, 2011

Lisa rated it:

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 f More...

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Jul 19, 2008

Ebookwormy rated it:

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 More...

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Jul 12, 2011

Stefani rated it:

Frederick the mouse has always been my favorite book since I was little. Frederick is the only mouse that isn't gathering food for winter. When asked why he won't gather food with the rest of them, he tells them all that he is gathering colours. During the winter the mice eat their food but they aren't very happy and they ask frederick for some of the colors he's gathered. He tells them stories about the colours and things he gathered, this keeps the mice happy.

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Jan 12, 2012

Sarah rated it:

Lionni's signature cut paper illustrations probably felt more creative when first published; now they feel a bit stiff. Still, the story of Frederick is winner. All summer, the other mice are prepping for winter while Frederick sits on his duff soaking up sun, memorizing colors, and storing away words. Clearly he's one lazy fellow! But a fun twist at the end has all of the mice hailing him as their hero.

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Jan 17, 2012

Robert rated it:

This is Gert's book, probably her sister's before that given the 1967 publish date and lack of ISBN. What a nice little story. Frederick appears shiftless as he friends do all the gathering for the winter as he sits and basks in the sun. But he assures them that he is gathering warmth, colors, and words for the long winter.

Sure enough food became scarce (one wonders if 20% more had been gathered by Frederick if that would have been the case). Frederick then shares his resources. A More...

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Sep 25, 2011

Jen rated it:

Reminiscent of the fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper" this is the story of 5 mice: four who spend the warm months collecting food and building shelter for winter, and one who collects colours, sunshine and words. The difference here, is that while Ant & Grasshopper is a cautionary tale about the importance of a work-ethic, Frederic takes on the importance of feeding your brain full of ideas as well.

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Sep 11, 2011

Karli rated it:

This book was okay. The illustrations were creative, they looked like different types of materials used to make each picture. however, I feel like it sends a poor message to children. Frederick the mouse did not help his other mice family gather food for the winter, instead day dreamed. He did help the other mice get through winter with his words but that doesn't mean he couldn't have helped his family.

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Nov 26, 2011

Alise rated it:

family
seasons: winter
laziness
poetry
rhyming

This book is about a lazy mouse named Frederick. His family is preparing for winter as he sits around. When their supplies run out, Frederick is asked to share what he collected for the winter season.

This book has a "built in poem" (Reading like Writers).

Teaches kids how to make paper cut out illustrations at the end of the book.

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Mar 03, 2011

Dolly rated it:

We've read several books by Leo Lionni and can appreciate his skill with both writing and illustrating stories. We compare his works with those of Eric Carle and Tomie dePaola. This is an interesting tale about skills and needs. While other mice are busy foraging for winter provisions, Frederick is storing up his words to be able to entertain the group throughout the long, cold, gray winter. While this skill might not be appreciated by many industrious societies, it seems to work here. We e More...

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