AGE LEVEL
1 and 2 year-olds
GENRE
Traditional Literature (Fable)
REVIEW
Anyone who is not a fan of Aesop already is fairly likely to experience a change of heart after reading Pinkney's amazing Caldecott Award-winning rendition of "The Lion and the Mouse". To start off with, every sketched and painted inch of lion, mouse, and landscape is beautifully multi-tonal in golds, browns, grays, and greens -- a true visual extravaganza. But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the artwork is that the animals aren't caricatures; they are depicted as authentic creatures, along with the ambiguity that comes with this. For example, when the lion decides to let the mouse go toward the beginning of the fable, one can literally see the mixed feelings in his eyes, and something more: the inscrutable nature of wild animals that prevents us from knowing exactly what his expression means. The story is wordless except for a few animals sounds, such as the lion's "Grrr" and the mouse's "squeak". True to the original fable, the mouse later remembers her debt to the lion, coming to his aid when he is caught by hunters. For the beauty and accuracy of its illustrations of wild animals, and the way in which it highlights the potential for greatness in even the smallest and most unexpected of us -- whether this be the mouse's courage in initially approaching the lion, the lion's magnanimity in letting the mouse go, or the mouse's integrity in honoring her debt -- this book is very highly recommended for age 1 and up.
LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
Due to the fact that Pinkney's drawings are very accurate in their depictions of wild animals, this book is the perfect lead-in to presenting some nonfiction books on mice and lions at toddler storytime
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