Book Review - The Lion & The Mouse
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pinkney, Jerry. (2009). THE LION & THE MOUSE. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 9780316013567
PLOT SUMMARY
The Lion & the Mouse is an Aesop’s fable retold in pictures. In the book, a little mouse escapes death twice, once by skill and the second by the kindness of a natural predator, a lion. After the lion lets the mouse go, he accidentally springs a trap set up by hunters and gets caught. The mouse hears his distress and chews through the rope to cut him free, forming an unlikely friendship in the process.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The pictures really do paint the story in this retelling of a classic fable. There are very minimal words used throughout the book. The only details he gives through words are the sounds of various animals: the “screech” and “who” of an owl, the “roar” and “grrr” of a lion, the “squeak” and “scratch” of a mouse, and the “putt, putt, putt” of a car driving through the safari. These sparsely used onomatopoeias enhance the apprehensive tone in the tense scenes. Likewise, the realistic words and pictures help the reader feel immersed in the story.
The pictures themselves are done in a watercolor style and take up every page. The watercolor creates shades and tones that help the illustrations look like they are moving such as the wind blowing through the lion’s mane or the tall grass. The author is able to give expressive faces and use expressive body language with the lion and the mouse while still keeping them in a realist style. He concentrates on the eyes, the mouth, and the paws to convey the story’s feeling and tone. For example, the widening and narrowing of the eyes to communicate curiosity and shock, the opening and closing of the mouth to demonstrate confusion and surprise, and when the mouse covers his head with his paws to showcase fear.
In a book with very few words, and none that help move the plot along, the pictures are essential in order to tell the story. Even if the words he did use were removed, the message would still be able to be understood; a small act of kindness or a huge act of bravery can have positive impacts on yourself and others.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal Winner - 2010
KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW: “A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop’s fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful.”
BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW
CONNECTIONS
*Aesop's Fables
*This story would be excellent to build a writing lesson around. The pictures would provide the plot and the students could create the story providing unique details that they noticed. Furthering this lesson, the stories could then be shared to the class or as a pair share to edit.
*Other books by Jerry Pinkney:
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE. ISBN 9780316183567
THE LITTLE RED HEN. ISBN
THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF. ISBN
THE LITTLE MERMAID. ISBN
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