The Greentail Mouse

by Leo Lionni

The beloved fable from four-time Caldecott Honor winner Leo Lionni!

Originally published in 1973, this is the offbeat fable of a city mouse who visits his peaceful country cousins and tells them about Mardi Gras in the city. The country mice are inspired to have their own Mardi Gras. And at first it is fun wearing their masks with sharp teeth and tusks and scaring each other, but after a while they begin believing that they really are ferocious animals.

Leo Lionni’s winsome mice cavort across big double-page spreads of oil paintings and tell a story about what is real and what is not that is just right for preschoolers.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

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 renown for his paintings, graphic designs, illustrations, and sculpture, as well as for his books for children. He was born in Holland in 1910 of Dutch parents, and although his education did not include formal art courses (in fact, he has a doctorate in economics from the University of Genoa), he spent much of his free time as a child in Amsterdam's museums, teaching himself to draw.

Lionni's business training gradually receded into the background as his interest in art and design grew. Having settled in Milan soon after his marriage in 1931, he started off by writing about European architecture for a local magazine. It was there that he met the contacts who were to give him a start as a professional graphic designer. When he moved to America in 1939, Lionni was hired by a Philadelphia advertising agency as art director. Later he became design director for the Olivetti Corporation of America, and then art director for Fortune magazine. At the same time, his reputation as an artist flourished as he began to exhibit his paintings and drawings in galleries from New York to Japan.

Lionni launched his career as an author/illustrator of books for children in 1959. Originally developed from a story he had improvised for his grandchildren during a dull train ride, Little Blue and Little Yellow was the first of what is now a long list of children's picture books, including four Caldecott Honor Books.

Reviews

[Sophia Triad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute illustrations, but I thought that the story is too creepy and too strange for KG children.
Also I did not like all this negativity for Marci Gras celebration.

[Celia Buell · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Greentail Mouse was cute but didn't have much to do with Mardi Gras. I feel like Mardi Gras is just depicted as a glorified Halloween here, with the only important thing being the parades and especially the masks.

The story was okay, but a little disjointed. This is the second Lionni book I've read and with both, I've been pretty disappointed and felt there was a lot lacking. Still, 3 stars for a pretty good story line, even if I wish this wasn't marketed as a Mardi Gras book.

*Read for: Children's Book group (Picture Book Club) - February 2023 Holidays Scavenger Hunt - Mardi Gras

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see the low rating others gave this one, but I just thought it was brilliant. It's not quite Lord of the Flies, but there is something sinister about the regression from partying to anger and fear, that speaks to an uncomfortable but human place within us we try to ignore. I loved that the new mouse was able to see their humanity (mousanity?) behind their masks. The art is vivid and bright with action, most pages are covered with 3/4 art and 1/4 text, with occasional full page art to emphasize dramatic events. Stunning.

[Cristina Quattrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some profound ideas here about masking our true nature and the harm of anonymity…but the Mardi Gras slander?? Need to know more about Leonni’s inspo

[Mustafa Arslan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Çocuk kitabından çok daha fazlası. Hatta bazı yetişkinler için bile fazla. Çok derin anlamlar içeren bir kitap.

[Shannon McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seems a little dark for a children’s book. The mice prepare for there first Mardi Gras and make masks that look like monsters and forget they are mice and become the monsters.

It seems the author is really either voicing his opinion of Mardi Gras or just thought of being careful not to lose yourself in something bad or I suppose both those things.

Why it is called the Greentail Mouse is because one of the mice tail gets paint on it and it never can remove the paint. A reminder that even if they forget that they were monsters once and to not to return to that way of being.

I think it is a good message in general I don’t know if it has to be applied to Mardi Gras as I have never participated in the event but I can see how it fits.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

We did not get this story. At all. I can't even really comment on the actual story because I just couldn't figure the crazy thing out! The pictures were ok, though. Maybe not as lovely as those in Fish is Fish, or as interesting as those in Swimmy, but for me the pictures save this odd story from a one star rating.

[Merve Cesur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Çizimler çok canlı ve güzel. Bazı sayfalar tamamen çizimlere ayrılmış durumda ki çocuklar için ilgi çekici olduğunu düşünüyorum. Bununla birlikte kitabın konusunu ve anlatımını (çevirisi demeliyim belki de) çocuklar için çok anlaşılır bulmadım. Bana kalırsa bir yetişkin olarak yazılanın altındaki anlamlar ve vermek istediği mesaj bakımından çok farklı bir kitap. Yine de çocuklar için ortalama diyebilirim.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Greentail Mouse: another of Lionni's weirder works. What exactly is the significance of the green tail? The theme of getting too wrapped up in something and forgetting who you are is interesting, but I'm not sure little kids would get it. Features Lionni's cute mice, though this time they're painted instead of collage.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one that had me scratching my head for awhile. It's Lionni, so there's something going on. And there's a bit of Lord of the Flies vibe to it, and a bit of Where the Wild Things are... I went for a walk, I talked to my adult son...

And then I read Michael's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Ah! Yes!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Lionni, I think because the content was more complex than the age group I used it with could handle. A good story - overall theme relates to forgetting who/what you are. Probably best suited for school-aged children.

[Samir Kagadkar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leo Lionni’s “The Greentail Mouse” has been out of print for many years. Reading the book, I can understand why. There isn’t much here in terms of story. The artwork is nice - the mice are like the mice from “Frederick”. The book has archival value primarily because it’s an old Lionni.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did Leo Lionni make a children’s book about mice celebrating Mardi Gras? Bizarre! And in 1973? Where the wearing of masks makes the mice forgetful of their true nature and scared of each other?! How could he know what was coming with the pandemic?

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual animal Marci Gras story, a bit somber and strange. My 4 year old lost interest in this book but I think maybe a middle schooler would find it a bit intriguing.

[Ww · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended for people in HK

[The Transmuted Tree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Red 6th

[Amanda Marsico · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bizarre and kind of scary for kids

[Şengül · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off ne güzel kitap! Maskeler-roller-başkalarına benzeme-kendi özünü unutma-fıtratına aykırı davranma bir çocuk bunları anlayamaz ama üzerinde konuşulacak çok konu var

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd in the style of a morality tale. Was a bit dark for kiddos, but certainly clever.

[Benqing Shen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s funny because a mouse came and the others painted his tail green.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't shake off the feeling that I was reading Lord of the Flies, but with mice instead of children. Wouldn't say it's a bad thing, and I enjoyed it a lot, besides, Lionni's creative illustrations never disappoint. But afterwards I took care to put it on one of the upper shelves away from the little ones, alongside books by Browne and Van Allsburg.

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a picture book about Mardi Gras, this is the one. It's classic Leo Leonni.
A community of field mice decide to throw their own Mardi Gras celebration after a visitor from the city tells them all about it. There's parades, food and masks. What happens when the mice are having so much fun celebrating that they forget who they really are?

[Jocelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of Leo Lionni. I really like his illustrations, I think they are really cute. The stories not so much. They can be a little odd.

[Hannah Baumgartner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Greentail mouse's characters where mouses and they decided to celebrate Mardi Gras because one of the mice was in town and saw people celebrating. They made ferocious masks and scared each other but they started actually feeling the part. They had a good time but it soon came to an end. This story talks about what is real and what it not.

I liked this story because it can be true to life. Leo Lionni uses little mouses as the characters which is a motif in many of his books. The medium used is paint and cut out graphic art and each page bleeds with beautiful vibrant colors, autumn colors, and black and white. This text could teach children that it may be fun to dress up and scare people but it is inevitable that you will actually feel like the character.

[Tanya (mom's small victories) · Rating 2 out of 5]

We are big fans of Leo Lionni's stories and more so his illustrations. His style is similar to Eric Carle, vibrant and colorful. Usually there is a discernable moral to the story.

While this book had his usual colorful illustrations, I couldn't quite get the moral of the story. I was surprised at what happened and that the characters at one point were filled with "hate and suspicion." A little intense of a thought for my preschooler when we avoid the word "hate."

I was disappointed with this one and it did not keep my preschooler's interest.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, but strange story about a group of mice celebrating Mardi Gras and getting lost in the celebration. The illustrations are very cute and similar to Frédéric. We enjoyed reading this story just after Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday and talked about the celebration during this time of year at the beginning of Lent.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

The balance of illustration and text in this book is fantastic! I also really appreciate that, despite being a children's book, it does not shy away from a full vocabulary of words. This could be a stellar read-aloud book for children-- I'd say K - 4th grade. A bit darker than your average picture book, but I appreciate that every once in a while. Also a strangely abrupt ending...

[Bridget Gambaiani · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for a book to explain Marti Gras and the season of Lent to my four year old. I did a quick search of the library catalog and this came up. This one was not what I was looking for. The moral was a bit dark and not particularly relevant for my daughter.

Media: Hard cover via the public library

[Miriam · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like or understand this book. I've been a fan of Leo Lionni for my entire life, but somehow I'd missed this one until today. I wish I could have gone on missing it. I can't help but feel like the moral is not to have fun or play pretend. I am quite disappointed.

[The Brothers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a somewhat strange story about a peaceful group of mice who go kind of berserk when they re-enact Mardi Gras. And for some reason, one of the mice dyes her tail green and there you go.

Illustrations are okay.