The Lion and the Mouse

                   

The Lion and the Mouse 

Author & Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Publishing: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009

            In this nearly wordless adaptation of the classic Aesop fable, The Lion and the Mouse, author and illustrator Jerry Pinkney helps the reader to understand within his or her’s own personal framework.

              In this story, as in the classic tale, the mouse begs the lion to release him without harm. The lion, seemingly amused, allows the mouse to scamper away. Later, when the lion is trapped by human net, the mouse helps the lion escape by chewing away at the ropes.

           The timeless message of grace and reciprocity is made more relevant to the reader’s experience by Pinkney’s flawless execution of expressive and realistic characters using pencil, watercolor, and colored pencils, which add distinct levels of human personification to the animals. Pinkney uses his scarce and carefully chosen words to further hone in on the direction and feeling of the story. The onomatopoetic “who who whoooo” of the owl warns of impending danger, and the painful and incensed "RRROAARRRRRRRRRRR" of the lion when captured is shrewdly paneled to appear above the mouse, quickly scampering to save him. The background, sometimes depicted as the grand and sweeping African Serengeti, reminds the reader that this story’s context is nature, where food chain is of utmost importance. At other times, Pinkney’s background is left blank, allowing the reader to focus only on the expression and emotion of the page.

          Students reading this book can connect with cause and effect by suggesting and playing out other potential outcomes to the story. The book could also serve as an excellent opening in examining the relationship between the powerful and seemingly powerless. Students might be asked to reflect on how they might make a difference – as a child to an adult and as a citizen in the world.

         This book won the 2009 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, the 2010 Indies' Choice Book Award, the 2009 Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, and the 2010 Caldecott Medal, as well as being a on the bestseller on such lists as New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon.com.

References

Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009.