THE LION & THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney (genre 2 book 3)

This 2010 Caldecott Award winner brings to life Aesop's fable The Lion and the Mouse with the stunningly simplistic illustrations that tell the story without any words. Pinkney started this project by first creating the illustrations to tell the story. What he discovered at the end was that no text was required. His illustrations were all ready telling the story for him.

Children will delight in studying the details on every page. Starting with the cover, every brush stroke flows with expression and emotion.While the lion and the mouse are the primary characters, each page unfolds as teaming with life on the African Serengeti. The lack of text allows for a vast array of discussion from young readers. Upon each reading a new detail or question can be found. This amount of depth allows this title to be one that can be used for a variety of ages and for many years to come.

Review excerpts:
"Pinkney has added a widening sense of family and community, where acts of kindness, even the smallest, will have a butterfly effect." -Kirkus

"Thanks to the close-ups, pull-aways, paneled insets, and double-page spreads, the reader is compelled into the eternal drama of the transactions between the strong and the meek." - Horn Book

Connections:
*Have readers go on a picture book safari by studying the cover and pages of the book and discussing what you find.

*Discuss why the mouse helped the lion. Discussions can include topics such as doing the right thing and the tiny mouse being able to help the lion and how that can translate into a moral for life.

Bibliography:
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. The Lion & the Mouse. New York,NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316013567