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The Lion and the Mouse
"Sometimes even the King needs help... and little friends may prove to be great friends."
In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's stunningly rendered wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted.
After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he'd planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher's trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.
As a testament to this unique rendition, this work was the winner of the 2010 Caldecott Medal, and is certain to become a bedtime classic for years to come.
In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney's stunningly rendered wordless adaptation of one of Aesop's most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted.
After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he'd planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher's trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.
As a testament to this unique rendition, this work was the winner of the 2010 Caldecott Medal, and is certain to become a bedtime classic for years to come.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2009
161 people are currently reading
10913 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pinkney
150 books264 followersJerry Pinkney was an American illustrator and writer of children's literature. Pinkney illustrated more than 100 books, including picture books, nonfiction titles and novels. Pinkney's works addressed diverse themes and were usually done in watercolors. He was the recipient of five Caldecott Honor books and the winner of the Caldecott Medal for The Lion and the Mouse. He also won the Coretta Scott King Award five times, the Coretta Scott King Honor four times, and was nominated for the prestigious international Hans Christian Anderson Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,346 reviews
February 27, 2016
“The Lion and the Mouse” is a Caldecott Medal award winning book by the wonderful Jerry Pinkney that is about how a bold lion realizes that the smallest creature can be a big help when he is trapped in a predicament that he cannot get out of. “The Lion and the Mouse” is a brilliant retelling of the classic Aesop fable that children will read over and over again.
Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations alone retell the story of a popular Aesop fable, since there are no words in this book to tell the readers the story. Jerry Pinkney’s illustrations are beautiful and realistic looking as the reader can tell that the setting of the book is set in Africa since there are dozens of wild animals around and drawings of high yellowish grass. The image that stood out the most was the image of the lion itself as it looks extremely realistic and beautiful, especially during the scenes where the lion was holding the small mouse in its paws and has an angry look on its face.
“The Lion and the Mouse” is definitely one of the best wordless picture books since David Wiesner’s “Tuesday” and it will definitely attract children of all ages for its beautiful illustrations and uplifting story. I would recommend this book to children ages three and up since toddlers would not have problems reading this book since there are no words to tell the story.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
January 18, 2019
Wow! this is a beautiful book cover to cover. This wordless retelling of an Aesop’s Fable is amazing and stunning.
The mouse running from an owl runs onto the back of a Lion who catches the mouse and then lets him go. Later the lion is caught in a person’s net and the mouse frees the lion from the trap.
I think this is a wonderful story about helping each other. It could be a useful tool of understanding how to act right now on a political level. Jerry Pinkney has done more stories from Aesop’s Fables and I am now interested in seeing those as well because this is so well done.
The nephew is starting to pick up some words, but he’s still not reading. He loved this and his story was quite exciting, I must say. The niece loved this as well and she gave it 5 stars as did her brother. I agree.
The mouse running from an owl runs onto the back of a Lion who catches the mouse and then lets him go. Later the lion is caught in a person’s net and the mouse frees the lion from the trap.
I think this is a wonderful story about helping each other. It could be a useful tool of understanding how to act right now on a political level. Jerry Pinkney has done more stories from Aesop’s Fables and I am now interested in seeing those as well because this is so well done.
The nephew is starting to pick up some words, but he’s still not reading. He loved this and his story was quite exciting, I must say. The niece loved this as well and she gave it 5 stars as did her brother. I agree.
January 25, 2010
This is an absolutely gorgeous book. It’s one of the most beautifully illustrated picture books I’ve read.
I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book that much, given that I like Aesop’s Fables but they’ve never been my very favorite tales, but this wordless version is phenomenal. It’s also rather graphic, especially when the lion gets caught in the poacher’s trap. This author/illustrator’s reverence for animals really comes through in this book.
The book had me riveted from the wordless cover, and this tale is told 100% through the pictures (and words representing the sounds the various animals make) and it’s told very well. Animals are the humane ones here, the heroes, certainly not the humans who thankfully make only a brief appearance.
It’s a lovely book and I’m so glad I read it, and I will recommend it. Highly sensitive children (and adults!) might have a few moments of distress, but overall, it’s an uplifting and inspiring story.
I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this book that much, given that I like Aesop’s Fables but they’ve never been my very favorite tales, but this wordless version is phenomenal. It’s also rather graphic, especially when the lion gets caught in the poacher’s trap. This author/illustrator’s reverence for animals really comes through in this book.
The book had me riveted from the wordless cover, and this tale is told 100% through the pictures (and words representing the sounds the various animals make) and it’s told very well. Animals are the humane ones here, the heroes, certainly not the humans who thankfully make only a brief appearance.
It’s a lovely book and I’m so glad I read it, and I will recommend it. Highly sensitive children (and adults!) might have a few moments of distress, but overall, it’s an uplifting and inspiring story.
February 17, 2010
The picture on the endpages is my favorite in the book, but as I can't find that on online, I present instead this one, which I also love:
This is a really wonderful wordless telling of the Aesop's fable, with the lion and the mouse both depicted with real character, and humor.
I love Jerry Pinkney's watercolors, and the way he populates his pictures not just with the title characters, but a delightful assortment of animals from the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, where he set his telling.
Winner of the Caldecott medal for best picture book of the year 2009.
This is a really wonderful wordless telling of the Aesop's fable, with the lion and the mouse both depicted with real character, and humor.
I love Jerry Pinkney's watercolors, and the way he populates his pictures not just with the title characters, but a delightful assortment of animals from the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, where he set his telling.
Winner of the Caldecott medal for best picture book of the year 2009.
September 23, 2014
Goodness gracious, this is a book that can't just sit on a shelf in a bookstore. Try walking past it...you can't, for the magnificent water colours simply jump right at you.
This book is a silent movie on paper. The tale "do unto others" is told by art only. Your children will want to turn the pages themselves so they can see the great maned lion and the pesky little mouse work things out.
And once your child is done, take the book and stand it up on your bookshelf with cover front-and-center, for this volume deserves the spotlight.
This book is truly meant to be enjoyed via paper, not electronic tablet.
Book Season = Spring (mouse house)
This book is a silent movie on paper. The tale "do unto others" is told by art only. Your children will want to turn the pages themselves so they can see the great maned lion and the pesky little mouse work things out.
And once your child is done, take the book and stand it up on your bookshelf with cover front-and-center, for this volume deserves the spotlight.
This book is truly meant to be enjoyed via paper, not electronic tablet.
Book Season = Spring (mouse house)
January 11, 2023
Although I am generally not all that much a fan of wordless picture books as a genre (as I simply do enjoy written text considerably more than illustrated images and also often tend to find the former easier to follow and understand), I have indeed found Jerry Pinkney's Caldecott Medal winning wordless adaptation of Aesop's fable The Lion and the Mouse both utterly charming and realistically, imaginatively descriptive, and thus really, truly showing the plot, the story of how a diminutive mouse is graciously released by a lion after she accidentally hides on his back and then repays that same favour by later chewing through poachers' trap lines and in turn releasing the captured lion as evocatively, as realistically and yes, as gracefully rendered as any accompanying narrative text would or could.
With a plethora of detailed depictions of the African savannah, its flora and fauna, The Lion and the Mouse is not only a stunning visual feast, there are also of course the messages of the original fable present, that good deeds have their rewards, that to be kind (and with the case of the lion in many ways acting against his instinctive carnivorous nature with regard to the mouse) have or least can have positive and life-saving results (and that while the mouse shows much courage gnawing through the ropes to release the lion, so does equally so the lion when he originally sends the mouse on her way back to her family, when he neither attacks nor eats her). Four stars and highly recommended (and while Jerry Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse is due to its wordlessness of course primarily a book for younger children, the images can and in my opinion also should be used for independent storytelling practice with slightly older children, as well as of course discussing the above mentioned messages/concepts, and perhaps even the issues and problems Africa faces and continues to face with regard to the evils of poaching).
With a plethora of detailed depictions of the African savannah, its flora and fauna, The Lion and the Mouse is not only a stunning visual feast, there are also of course the messages of the original fable present, that good deeds have their rewards, that to be kind (and with the case of the lion in many ways acting against his instinctive carnivorous nature with regard to the mouse) have or least can have positive and life-saving results (and that while the mouse shows much courage gnawing through the ropes to release the lion, so does equally so the lion when he originally sends the mouse on her way back to her family, when he neither attacks nor eats her). Four stars and highly recommended (and while Jerry Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse is due to its wordlessness of course primarily a book for younger children, the images can and in my opinion also should be used for independent storytelling practice with slightly older children, as well as of course discussing the above mentioned messages/concepts, and perhaps even the issues and problems Africa faces and continues to face with regard to the evils of poaching).
July 19, 2009
How trustworthy do you find a reviewer who loves a particular author’s work, praises it regularly, and then reviews that writer's next book with predictable kisses, cheers, and thrown rose petals? I admit that I am usually that exact reviewing type. If I like someone’s work, I’m more likely to review that same person in the future. That’s just how the game goes. But for once, I think I should point out that a positive review is all the MORE impressive when it comes from someone who not usually a fan of a particular author or illustrator. Take Jerry Pinkney, for example. The bloke has won his own fair share of Caldecott Honors in his day. He is prolific. He has an eye for a good story. But prior to the publication of The Lion and the Mouse I would have to admit that the only picture book of his that I really truly enjoyed was his version of Little Red Riding Hood and even that wasn’t one of my favorite books of its year. I say all this not to degrade Mr. Pinkney but to point out that his newest book has a singular ability to do something most artists do not even hope to try for. It is appealing to both die-hard Pinkney fans and the folks who could take him or leave him. Everybody likes this book. It’s actually a little weird, but who are we to argue? The Lion and the Mouse takes a classic Aesop tale and spins it into wordless picture book gold. A must have, and a must purchase.
Set against the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, a single small mouse escapes the claws of a hungry owl, only to find herself trapped within the paw of a huge lion. On a whim, the lion lets the mouse go and then sets about his merry way. Unfortunately, poachers have been putting up traps, and before he knows it the lion is caught and bound in nasty ropes, high above the ground. To his rescue comes the little mouse, and she nibbles the ropes until they give way and free the lion. In her mouth she leaves with one of the knots of rope, which she gives her family of tiny babies at home to play with. On the final endpapers, the lion and his family of cubs prowl with the mouse and her family safely ensconced on the lion's back.
Go into your local library, ask for the Aesop tales, and you’ll find a wide variety of takes on the genre. Generally, it is hard to turn a single Aesop fable into a picture book for the simple fact that Aesop’s tales are a bit on the short side. That’s why you’re more likely to either find his book in collections (as in Animal Fables from Aesop as illustrated by Barbara McClintock) or in greatly expanded texts (as in Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatini). Pinkney’s decision to make this book almost entirely wordless is therefore nothing short of inspired. Without words, Pinkney is free to expand his storyline. To show elements and characters that wouldn’t deserve a mention in a straight interpretation of the original text. And at forty pages Pinkney hasn’t had to skimp on his storytelling either.
Pinkney places his story within the quiet majesty of the Serengeti. Now I’m sure I’m not the only person who, when hearing the title The Lion and the Mouse immediately thinks of the jungle. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell me that lions don’t live in the jungle. Certain stories have been so battered into my brain that it will take books like Pinkney’s do undo the mental imagery there. Pinkney has also given himself over entirely to the Serengeti landscape. Each animal has been meticulously researched and rendered here. On a first read I was skeptical as to whether or not the owl featured in the book would actually exist in this African landscape. The answer? Yep. It would indeed. Pinkney has researched this puppy out the wazoo, and the result is a book that fairly pops with accuracy.
Mouse feet. I have a strange appreciation for any artist who can accurately portray well-proportioned mouse feet. Mice do not have attractive feet. They are long and pink with their toes all scrunched on one end and their heels too far away to look good on the other. So while I am sure that most folks will be ooing and cooing over Pinkney’s depiction of the lion in all his mane-y goodness, I’m all about the mouse and her footsies. And from time to time I did also wonder about scale. There’s a wonderful moment when the mouse pauses on the lion’s tail, unaware that she is close to a new predator. Next to her three ants walk the length of a single piece of grass, even smaller than the mouse herself. Later you see the mouse and her family on the back of the lion, and they seem a bit big, but it’s not overly jarring. I doubt a kid would care two cents about whether or not the mouse is always in direct proportion to the lion, but it’s worth noting anyway.
According to the publication page, “The full-color artwork for this book has been prepared using pencil, watercolor, and colored pencils on paper.” And within that medium, and without becoming cartoonish, Pinkney gives characters expressions but keeps them well within the realm of realism. The mouse can go from terrified to delighted and still look like a real mouse. And the lion’s expression when the mouse finds him in the net? If cats feel shame, the big cats must sometimes feel big time shame. Other choices made in the book are worth noting. The white poachers, for example, have their faces obscured when they appear to set up the trap that will snare the lion. In doing so they take on the faceless void of villainy, without the artist having to render them cartoonish in their badness.
There are words in this book, but they tend to be onomatopoetic. The “who who whoooo” of an owl or the tiny terrified squeak of the mouse when caught by the lion. In the scene where the lion is lifted off the Serengeti floor no sound is made. You just see the wide-open mouth and rolling eyes. It isn’t until you turn the page that the “RRROAARRRRRRRRRRR” appears at the top of a two-page spread. Below the sound, four panels show the mouse scurrying to the rescue below. This use of panels gives the already near silent book a kind of silent movie feel. Like a graphic novel, The Lion and the Mouse finds use for panels, white space, timing and inserts of dialogue, such as it is. It is able to use the best of both the comic world and the picture book world. One minute you’re limited to panels. The next you turn the page and here’s a double spread, full-color, lush and gorgeous. Pinkney has expanded his medium with this book and the payoff is evident.
As a children’s librarian, sometimes I find wordless picture books a hard sell to parents. Kids are often willing to dig them, but for a parent a wordless book means a lot of interaction with their child, and some folks are squeamish about poring over a single title for too long. The nice thing about The Lion and the Mouse is that it hooks you from the cover onward. Heck, I suspect that there’s many a parent that will completely miss the fact that the book even is wordless until they’ve gotten more than halfway in, so compelling is Pinkney’s visual storytelling. It’s been a while since an Aesop fable had this many people talking about it. Worth the buzz. Worth the hype. Worthy.
Ages 4-8.
Set against the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, a single small mouse escapes the claws of a hungry owl, only to find herself trapped within the paw of a huge lion. On a whim, the lion lets the mouse go and then sets about his merry way. Unfortunately, poachers have been putting up traps, and before he knows it the lion is caught and bound in nasty ropes, high above the ground. To his rescue comes the little mouse, and she nibbles the ropes until they give way and free the lion. In her mouth she leaves with one of the knots of rope, which she gives her family of tiny babies at home to play with. On the final endpapers, the lion and his family of cubs prowl with the mouse and her family safely ensconced on the lion's back.
Go into your local library, ask for the Aesop tales, and you’ll find a wide variety of takes on the genre. Generally, it is hard to turn a single Aesop fable into a picture book for the simple fact that Aesop’s tales are a bit on the short side. That’s why you’re more likely to either find his book in collections (as in Animal Fables from Aesop as illustrated by Barbara McClintock) or in greatly expanded texts (as in Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatini). Pinkney’s decision to make this book almost entirely wordless is therefore nothing short of inspired. Without words, Pinkney is free to expand his storyline. To show elements and characters that wouldn’t deserve a mention in a straight interpretation of the original text. And at forty pages Pinkney hasn’t had to skimp on his storytelling either.
Pinkney places his story within the quiet majesty of the Serengeti. Now I’m sure I’m not the only person who, when hearing the title The Lion and the Mouse immediately thinks of the jungle. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell me that lions don’t live in the jungle. Certain stories have been so battered into my brain that it will take books like Pinkney’s do undo the mental imagery there. Pinkney has also given himself over entirely to the Serengeti landscape. Each animal has been meticulously researched and rendered here. On a first read I was skeptical as to whether or not the owl featured in the book would actually exist in this African landscape. The answer? Yep. It would indeed. Pinkney has researched this puppy out the wazoo, and the result is a book that fairly pops with accuracy.
Mouse feet. I have a strange appreciation for any artist who can accurately portray well-proportioned mouse feet. Mice do not have attractive feet. They are long and pink with their toes all scrunched on one end and their heels too far away to look good on the other. So while I am sure that most folks will be ooing and cooing over Pinkney’s depiction of the lion in all his mane-y goodness, I’m all about the mouse and her footsies. And from time to time I did also wonder about scale. There’s a wonderful moment when the mouse pauses on the lion’s tail, unaware that she is close to a new predator. Next to her three ants walk the length of a single piece of grass, even smaller than the mouse herself. Later you see the mouse and her family on the back of the lion, and they seem a bit big, but it’s not overly jarring. I doubt a kid would care two cents about whether or not the mouse is always in direct proportion to the lion, but it’s worth noting anyway.
According to the publication page, “The full-color artwork for this book has been prepared using pencil, watercolor, and colored pencils on paper.” And within that medium, and without becoming cartoonish, Pinkney gives characters expressions but keeps them well within the realm of realism. The mouse can go from terrified to delighted and still look like a real mouse. And the lion’s expression when the mouse finds him in the net? If cats feel shame, the big cats must sometimes feel big time shame. Other choices made in the book are worth noting. The white poachers, for example, have their faces obscured when they appear to set up the trap that will snare the lion. In doing so they take on the faceless void of villainy, without the artist having to render them cartoonish in their badness.
There are words in this book, but they tend to be onomatopoetic. The “who who whoooo” of an owl or the tiny terrified squeak of the mouse when caught by the lion. In the scene where the lion is lifted off the Serengeti floor no sound is made. You just see the wide-open mouth and rolling eyes. It isn’t until you turn the page that the “RRROAARRRRRRRRRRR” appears at the top of a two-page spread. Below the sound, four panels show the mouse scurrying to the rescue below. This use of panels gives the already near silent book a kind of silent movie feel. Like a graphic novel, The Lion and the Mouse finds use for panels, white space, timing and inserts of dialogue, such as it is. It is able to use the best of both the comic world and the picture book world. One minute you’re limited to panels. The next you turn the page and here’s a double spread, full-color, lush and gorgeous. Pinkney has expanded his medium with this book and the payoff is evident.
As a children’s librarian, sometimes I find wordless picture books a hard sell to parents. Kids are often willing to dig them, but for a parent a wordless book means a lot of interaction with their child, and some folks are squeamish about poring over a single title for too long. The nice thing about The Lion and the Mouse is that it hooks you from the cover onward. Heck, I suspect that there’s many a parent that will completely miss the fact that the book even is wordless until they’ve gotten more than halfway in, so compelling is Pinkney’s visual storytelling. It’s been a while since an Aesop fable had this many people talking about it. Worth the buzz. Worth the hype. Worthy.
Ages 4-8.
March 8, 2010
What more can be said about Pinkney's award-winning (and justifiably so) gem of a wordless story? Personally, I think it is beautifully portrayed--I love the African savanna setting, and the expressions of the lion and the mouse tell the story perfectly.
September 19, 2017
This is a wordless picture book that illustrates one of Aesop's fables, "The Lion and the Mouse." It is a story that shows the reader how the mighty lion spares the tiny mouse's life and later on, how the tiny mouse saves the mighty lion's life.
March 16, 2010
This is an almost entirely wordless book. The only words are "sounds" - and owl hooting, the mouse squeaking, etc. The illustrations are simply lovely and I was amazed that Pinkney could convey the emotion he did while still managing to keep the animals looking "real."
I wasn't familiar with this version of the fable, and don't want to spoil it for anyone else. Let me simply say that it isn't a thorn in the paw this time.
I especially enjoyed the author's note, where Pinkney says that he was, as a child, enthralled with the idea of the tiny prevailing over the mighty. But, that as he grew, he realized that what was truly special was the equality both the creatures had.
Definitely recommended!
I wasn't familiar with this version of the fable, and don't want to spoil it for anyone else. Let me simply say that it isn't a thorn in the paw this time.
I especially enjoyed the author's note, where Pinkney says that he was, as a child, enthralled with the idea of the tiny prevailing over the mighty. But, that as he grew, he realized that what was truly special was the equality both the creatures had.
Definitely recommended!
March 2, 2010
This nearly wordless retelling of the Aesop Fable, set in the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, won the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished book of 2009. Jerry Pinkney richly deserves the award for his detailed watercolor, pencil, and colored pencil illustrations which enhance the original fable by adding a family for the courageous mouse and adding selective animal sounds. The glorious endpages set the story in context by picturing giraffe, zebra, elephant, and other animal families. Pinkney has been illustrating Caldecott honor award winning books for years (_The Ugly Duckling_, _John Henry_, _The Talking Eggs_), so this award is well deserved.
April 26, 2017
Beautiful, beautiful! I didn't expect this book to be wordless, but Pinkney does a fine job of telling this traditional fable, set in Africa, clearly and with style. He truly deserved the Caldecott Award he won with this one! Even the endpapers tell part of the story. The detail and the color in the pictures made me want to gaze at each one for several minutes, so it took me a while to get through the book. Those mice are so cute! Outstanding! Highly recommended!
January 31, 2012
This Caldecott Medal winner is entirely wordless except for animal sounds such as the lion roaring or the mouse squeaking. On one page there is also the putt-putt of the poachers' jeep.
The illustrations here are, of course, amazing! They tell the story in such an expressive way. I especially love the many expressions on both the lion's face and the mouse's face throughout the story. I'm sure it's no accident that we don't see the faces of the human poachers.
Pinkney mentions in his Artist's Note at the end that he found it gratifying to have both the lion and the mouse head-to-head on the book's jacket, "each commanding powerful space and presence." I liked that, but I also really liked the illustration on the title page which shows lion tracks walking across the page with the teeny tiny mouse huddled in just a small fraction of one of the tracks - emphasizing the difference in sizes between the two animals.
I just had one question: Why does the mouse bring the knot from the net back to her family?
The illustrations here are, of course, amazing! They tell the story in such an expressive way. I especially love the many expressions on both the lion's face and the mouse's face throughout the story. I'm sure it's no accident that we don't see the faces of the human poachers.
Pinkney mentions in his Artist's Note at the end that he found it gratifying to have both the lion and the mouse head-to-head on the book's jacket, "each commanding powerful space and presence." I liked that, but I also really liked the illustration on the title page which shows lion tracks walking across the page with the teeny tiny mouse huddled in just a small fraction of one of the tracks - emphasizing the difference in sizes between the two animals.
I just had one question: Why does the mouse bring the knot from the net back to her family?
June 24, 2017
Gorgeous pictures! : ) Perfect rendition of this story!
May 20, 2023
I continue the self-created therapy of reading picture books to counter balance the insane state of today's world.
The Lion and the Mouse is a true picture book. It is almost wordless. The only words are animal sounds. It is base on an Aesops fable of the same title and was awarded the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 2010.
The moral: no act of kindness is ever wasted. One of the best morals.
A lion saves a mouse from an attacking owl. Later some poachers trap the lion. The mouse returns to chew through the ropes of the trap and frees the lion.
The drawings are vibrant and do tell the story.
The Lion and the Mouse is a true picture book. It is almost wordless. The only words are animal sounds. It is base on an Aesops fable of the same title and was awarded the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 2010.
The moral: no act of kindness is ever wasted. One of the best morals.
A lion saves a mouse from an attacking owl. Later some poachers trap the lion. The mouse returns to chew through the ropes of the trap and frees the lion.
The drawings are vibrant and do tell the story.
February 3, 2020
Five-time Caldecott honoree Jerry Pinkney - whose beautifully expressive
Aesop's Fables
was a superb interpretation - returns to the work of the Greek fabulist in this lovely wordless picture-book. With a large format, and gorgeous pencil and watercolor illustrations, this tale of a lion, whose generosity in sparing the life of a tiny mouse is rewarded when the tables are turned, will delight young readers.
As always, Pinkey's artwork is expressive and involving, and children will have no trouble following the story, whose text consists solely of sound-words - "who-who," "squeak," and the like - indicating the calls of various animals. A real sense of emotion, whether of disgruntlement at being caught in a net, or happiness at being surrounded by one's many tiny offspring, is conveyed through the sensitively drawn facial expressions - always one of Pinkney's strengths.
I appreciated the author/illustrator's afterword, in which he briefly mentioned his concern for wildlife, and his decision to set his book in the Serengeti, as ecologically accurate books are always helpful. That said, I did wonder a little at his decision to make the poachers white trophy-hunters, when my understanding is that the real threat to lions is the local population, whose cattle are threatened. Perhaps trophy-hunting is more easily condemned? Whatever the case may be, it was odd to me that a desire to be accurate didn't carry over into every quarter. Still, this is a minor concern, and I doubt that young readers will even pick up on it. All in all, a wonderful new book from Pinkney - I'd definitely nominate it for the Caldecott Medal!
Addendum: I originally wrote this review in September, 2009, before it was awarded a Caldecott Medal. For once, I actually predicted the winner!
As always, Pinkey's artwork is expressive and involving, and children will have no trouble following the story, whose text consists solely of sound-words - "who-who," "squeak," and the like - indicating the calls of various animals. A real sense of emotion, whether of disgruntlement at being caught in a net, or happiness at being surrounded by one's many tiny offspring, is conveyed through the sensitively drawn facial expressions - always one of Pinkney's strengths.
I appreciated the author/illustrator's afterword, in which he briefly mentioned his concern for wildlife, and his decision to set his book in the Serengeti, as ecologically accurate books are always helpful. That said, I did wonder a little at his decision to make the poachers white trophy-hunters, when my understanding is that the real threat to lions is the local population, whose cattle are threatened. Perhaps trophy-hunting is more easily condemned? Whatever the case may be, it was odd to me that a desire to be accurate didn't carry over into every quarter. Still, this is a minor concern, and I doubt that young readers will even pick up on it. All in all, a wonderful new book from Pinkney - I'd definitely nominate it for the Caldecott Medal!
Addendum: I originally wrote this review in September, 2009, before it was awarded a Caldecott Medal. For once, I actually predicted the winner!
January 19, 2015
Have you ever thought that as long as you do good, good will be done back to you? Well that is what happens in this story. The Lion and the Mouse is one of Aesop’s fables. In this version, there are no words, only pictures, that guide the imagination. The main characters are the lion and the mouse. As in the original fable, the mouse accidentally wakes up a lion and is caught in his grasp. The lion graciously releases the mouse from his grasp, only to be saved from a poacher’s trap by the very same mouse. The moral of the story is that even the smallest can save the mightiest. This book in particular has very vivid and detailed illustrations that take you into the plains of Africa. Since there are no words in this story, it seemed all of the detail and effort went into the illustrations.
This is a very valuable story because it has a moral to it that can be perceived in many different ways. I remember reading this one, and many other of Aesop’s fables, as a child and being able to connect it to my life in many ways that related to my reality. I really liked that the lion spared the mouse’s life, and in return the mouse went back and saved the lion from the net when he didn't have to. It teaches the lesson that if someone does good to you, you should return the favor, just like the “pay it forward” idea. Aesop’s fables are very valuable books, in my opinion, because they teach life lessons as a result of a character doing something. They may not necessarily be realistic, like the Lion and the Mouse, but can be applied to everyday life and is a valuable book any teacher should have.
This is a very valuable story because it has a moral to it that can be perceived in many different ways. I remember reading this one, and many other of Aesop’s fables, as a child and being able to connect it to my life in many ways that related to my reality. I really liked that the lion spared the mouse’s life, and in return the mouse went back and saved the lion from the net when he didn't have to. It teaches the lesson that if someone does good to you, you should return the favor, just like the “pay it forward” idea. Aesop’s fables are very valuable books, in my opinion, because they teach life lessons as a result of a character doing something. They may not necessarily be realistic, like the Lion and the Mouse, but can be applied to everyday life and is a valuable book any teacher should have.
August 10, 2017
Amazing illustrations accompany the classic Aesop's fable in this wordless book. Animal noises and the expressive illustrations alone tell the tale magnificently and this work of art is well worth its Caldecott Medal nod. Our girls loved the pictures and really enjoyed the "story" without words, helping me tell them the tale.
This book was selected as one of the January 2011 - Wordless Picture Book reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was also selected as one of the books for the August 2017- Caldecott Medal Winners 2008-2012 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was selected as one of the January 2011 - Wordless Picture Book reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was also selected as one of the books for the August 2017- Caldecott Medal Winners 2008-2012 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
April 14, 2013
I have never read this book before, but after reading this in the library, it became another one of my favorite children's books. It is an actual picture book without any words, which made me enjoy it even more because it made me really concentrate on the photos instead of the text. It also made me really think about what the storyline behind this was, which has never happened before. After finishing the book, I realized that the storyline behind this book was about a mouse who takes refuge on a lion's back as it scurries away from an owl. The large beast grabs and then releases the tiny creature, who later frees the lion who has become tangled in a hunter's snare. I thought this was a neat storyline and the pictures really captured it without having to use words.
All in all, I would have this book in my classroom since it helps children try to come up with the storyline based on the pictures and would be a great class discussion. It also teaches kids the importance of friends and that even small friends can turn out to be great friends.
All in all, I would have this book in my classroom since it helps children try to come up with the storyline based on the pictures and would be a great class discussion. It also teaches kids the importance of friends and that even small friends can turn out to be great friends.
October 28, 2013
Title / Author / Publication Date:
The lion and the mouse. / Jerry Pinkney. / 2009.
Genre: Nonfiction: Folktales.
Format: Picturebook - print.
Plot summary:
"In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
unlikely friendships, rescue, African Serengeti, lion & mouse
Review citation:
"The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist" (Wendy Lukehart in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
ALSC: Caldecott Medal & Honor Books (2010 - Caldecott Medal Winner).
Recommended age: Ages 4 to 8.
The lion and the mouse. / Jerry Pinkney. / 2009.
Genre: Nonfiction: Folktales.
Format: Picturebook - print.
Plot summary:
"In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
unlikely friendships, rescue, African Serengeti, lion & mouse
Review citation:
"The ambiguity that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist" (Wendy Lukehart in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
ALSC: Caldecott Medal & Honor Books (2010 - Caldecott Medal Winner).
Recommended age: Ages 4 to 8.
October 14, 2015
Pinkney's wordless version of Aaesop's falbe The lion and the mouse is incredibly beautiful!
This fable is well known by all of us. The lion decides to spare the mouse's life after she perturbed him when he was napping. This favor will be returned when the lion is caught in a trap and the mouse frees him.
It's a beautiful story where the tiny mouse and the king of the animals show to be equally vulnerable when in danger, and equally great in kindness.
The illustrations are magnificent and impressive. The message is definitively well expressed through the pages.
I'm really interested in take a look at other Pinkney's works.
Age range: 4 to 99 years old!
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
This fable is well known by all of us. The lion decides to spare the mouse's life after she perturbed him when he was napping. This favor will be returned when the lion is caught in a trap and the mouse frees him.
It's a beautiful story where the tiny mouse and the king of the animals show to be equally vulnerable when in danger, and equally great in kindness.
The illustrations are magnificent and impressive. The message is definitively well expressed through the pages.
I'm really interested in take a look at other Pinkney's works.
Age range: 4 to 99 years old!
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
September 3, 2012
I thought this book showed a good message to people of all ages. It shows that through tough times those who you thought wouldn't help you do in fact come around. In this story, the mouse who is trying to get away from danger ends up with a lion. Who had originally made plans to eat him,after some time the lion decides to let the mouse go. To return the favor for the lion letting go of the mouse, the mouse helps the lion who becomes trapped. Although the mouse is tiny compared to the big lion, he was able to free the lion from the poachers trap. It is a cute book that lets the reader interpret the pictures of a uncommon friendship between a lion and a mouse.
July 4, 2012
Another book for the Caldecott Challenge, though given my recent obsession with Jerry Pinkney books, I would've read it sometime soon anyways. This book won the 2010 Caldecott Award and although I enjoyed "All the World," this book is so beautifully illustrated, it is no wonder that it won. Pinkney's books are literally works of art in and of themselves, and this book is no exception. I was surprised that this version of the Aesop fable was wordless, but the penciled and watercolored illustrations more than make for that fact. Recommended for ages 1-9, 5 stars.
February 17, 2011
This Caldecott award winning picture book is simply perfection. The lavish, bright and arresting illustrations that tell a beloved Aesop fable about a merciful lion enthrall the reader immediately. I loved how Pinkney used just sounds to add a touch of fun and action to the story. This is a must have for your picture book collection. This book is a wonderful illustration of how the humblest of us can make a difference, even to the most powerful.
Find it at Cuyahoga County Public Library: http://tinyurl.com/4w9vbr6
Find it at Cuyahoga County Public Library: http://tinyurl.com/4w9vbr6
October 8, 2009
The art is gorgeous and Pinkney is bound to be in the Caldecott running for this one.
On the other hand, to be my usual cranky self--and this is why I won't give it more than 3 stars--I always find that adults kvell over wordless picture books a lot more than kids do.
And as expressive as the art here is--and it's very--kids who don't know the Aesop fable are going to need some sort of explanation of the plot in order to really get what's going on here.
On the other hand, to be my usual cranky self--and this is why I won't give it more than 3 stars--I always find that adults kvell over wordless picture books a lot more than kids do.
And as expressive as the art here is--and it's very--kids who don't know the Aesop fable are going to need some sort of explanation of the plot in order to really get what's going on here.
October 15, 2018
(Hardcover)
Amazing artwork. Pictures with a few sound effects, the majesty and mastery of the illustrations creates a story that one can snuggle with and reread again and again, looking for new details.
A great book to encourage young readers to tell YOU the story based on what they are seeing.
What an excellent way to build reading comprehension in prereaders.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
(In fact I'm going to add all of Jerry Pinkney's books to my wish list right now!)
Amazing artwork. Pictures with a few sound effects, the majesty and mastery of the illustrations creates a story that one can snuggle with and reread again and again, looking for new details.
A great book to encourage young readers to tell YOU the story based on what they are seeing.
What an excellent way to build reading comprehension in prereaders.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND
(In fact I'm going to add all of Jerry Pinkney's books to my wish list right now!)
April 18, 2012
Caldecott Medal (2010)
A splendid picture book relating Aesop's fable of The Lion and The Mouse. Deserving of the Caldecott for the highly detailed and rich watercolor illustrations. There is much to discover on each page, as the artwork is beautifully designed and rendered. 4/5 stars because the story itself, while classic, is not original.
A splendid picture book relating Aesop's fable of The Lion and The Mouse. Deserving of the Caldecott for the highly detailed and rich watercolor illustrations. There is much to discover on each page, as the artwork is beautifully designed and rendered. 4/5 stars because the story itself, while classic, is not original.
August 28, 2015
Jerry Pinkney, an incredible artist, takes on Aesop's fable about a lion and a mouse. This picture book only contains a few "words"-roar and squeak are prominent-but more words are actually unnecessary. Youngsters will be attracted by the large, colorful pictures and will enjoy being able to "read" this one by themselves, making it a great jumping off place for book discussions.
December 28, 2021
Great illustrations, and only a few words, make up this children's book based on an old fable, about an unlikely relationship between a lion and a mouse.
January 20, 2021
Caldecott 2010
No words necessary in this beautifully illustrated book. The story is completely told of the friendship shown by a lion to a mouse, and the dividends of that friendship when a rope-net trap captures the lion. Children LOVE these books where they can ad-lib all that is happening. Try it! Listen to a small child tell you this story as they 'read' these pictures.
No words necessary in this beautifully illustrated book. The story is completely told of the friendship shown by a lion to a mouse, and the dividends of that friendship when a rope-net trap captures the lion. Children LOVE these books where they can ad-lib all that is happening. Try it! Listen to a small child tell you this story as they 'read' these pictures.
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