Plot Summary
The roar of a lion is sure to instill fear into the bravest of creatures! All jungle inhabitants, great and small, are quick to give the monstrous cat a wide berth and stay out of his path. Unfortunately for an unobservant mouse, the lion's restless slumber is disturbed by the rodent when she accidently, and quite literally, stumbled upon him. She was quickly caught by the king of the jungle, and dangled helplessly, with her tail grasped firmly in the ferocious feline's big paw. The mouse was set to face a quick, and hopefully painless, death. However, overcome with compassion, the savage beast released the little mouse to scurry home to tend to her nest of baby mice. Some time later, the lion is snared in the trap of some heartless hunters. The lion's kindness is repaid in full when the rodent, hearing the strangled cries of the feline, came to his rescue. She gnawed through the ropes of the poacher's debilitating net and set the big cat free. The Lion & The Mouse is a tale of two creatures, both with extremely big hearts, filled with compassion and humble selflessness.
Critical Analysis
With the exception of a few animal sounds scattered throughout this wordless book, the reader is left on his own to discover the story of The Lion & The Mouse. The reader is taken on a pictorial safari as glimpses of elephants, baboons, owls, and various other creatures fill in the African backdrop to this rendition of a classic tale of Aesop. Pinkney uses pencil, water colors, and colored pencils to create his illustrations of rich earth tones contrasted against the green foliage of the jungle. The drawings of the lion show a wide range of emotion: annoyance, compassion, nonchalance, sheer terror, skepticism, relief, and unwavering gratitude. Although the pictures are stationary, the movement of the mouse is almost palpable as the rodent scurries here and there in search of safety, and later, in search of her new-found friend. The story of strength through kindness is heralded loud and clear in Mr. Pinkney's masterful and award-winning work.
Awards
Caldecott Medal (2010)
2 X 2 Reading List (2010)
Review Excerpts
"Pinkney's soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rocks, as he bleeds color to indicate movement, for instance, when the lion falls free from the net. His luxuriant use of close-ups humanizes his animal characters without idealizing them, and that's no mean feat." -- Daniel Kraus, Booklist 7/1/09
"Pinkney's soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rocks, as he bleeds color to indicate movement, for instance, when the lion falls free from the net. His luxuriant use of close-ups humanizes his animal characters without idealizing them, and that's no mean feat." -- Daniel Kraus, Booklist 7/1/09
"Contrast this version with Pinkney's traditional treatment of the same story (complete with moral) in Aesop's Fables (North-South, 2000). 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, School Library Journal 9/1/09
"Pinkney enriches this classic tale of friendship with another universal theme—family—affectingly illustrated in several scenes. Pinkney's artist's note explains that he set the book in Africa's Serengeti, 'with its wide horizon and abundant wildlife so awesome yet fragile—not unlike the two sides of each of the heroes.' Pinkney has no need for words; his art speaks eloquently for itself." -- Publishers Weekly 7/27/09
Other Books by Jerry Pinkney
The Little Red Hen
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
The Little Match Girl
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Aesop's Fables (Illustrator)
The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll (Illustrator)
The Moon Over Star (Illustrator)
Visit his website for more information: http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/
Book Connections
City Mouse-Country Mouse and Two More Mouse Tales from Aesop -- Illustrated by John Waller
Book Connections
City Mouse-Country Mouse and Two More Mouse Tales from Aesop -- Illustrated by John Waller
The Lion or the Mouse?: The Lion or the Mouse -- Toni and Slade Morrison; Pascal Lemaitre, Ill.
The Lion Book of Five-Minute Animal Stories -- John Goodwin
Connection Activities
Connection Activities
- Divide the students into pairs or groups of three and give each a wordless book (e.g. The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard by Gregory Rogers, Sea of Dreams by Dennis Nolan, or The Arrival by Shaun Tan). Allow each group to "read" their book and then share their story with the class.
- After discussing this Caldecott winner's artistic ability and showcasing his talent, read excerpts from That's Like Me!: Stories About Amazing People With Learning Differences by Jill Lauren. In this book, sixteen adults and young people, including artist Jerry Pinkney and Antarctic explorer Ann Bancroft, describe how they overcome learning disabilities by focusing on their other strengths. Use this to expound on the fact that even though people are different, they all have strengths and talents to share with the world.
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