The Lion & The Mouse

The Lion & The Mouse

By: Jerry Pinkney











BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. The Lion & The Mouse. New York: Little, Brown, and Co. Books For Young Readers. ISBN 0316013560

PLOT SUMMARY

This highly visual interpretation of the classic fable by Aesop is as rich with imagery as it is short on words. Almost completely without text, this book beautifully relies on the skilled illustrations of the author to relay the story of the king of the jungle that is rescued by the smallest of his subjects. When the lion lets the mouse go instead of having him for lunch, the mouse is effusive in his thanks, and promises to help the lion if ever he can. While the lion finds this laughable, it isn't too long before the lion finds himself trapped in a hunter's net. It is the mouse who gnaws through the ropes and saves the mighty lion, proving that even the smallest friend is worthwhile.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

It is all about the illustrations in this book. Jerry Pinkney has thoughtfully and masterfully re-told the Aesop's fable of the lion and the mouse using few words and, instead, letting his illustrations speak for themselves. The characters are depicted expertly in his palette of ambers, browns, and blue-greens. The illustrations vary from double paged spreads to both framed and unframed images that immediately guide the reader's perspective as necessary. The vastness of the Serengeti setting is alternated with the perspective of an individual character, such as the mouse moving among the tall grasses. One of the strongest visuals of the difference in size between the lion and the mouse is on the title page, as the mouse rests in the pawprint of the lion. It is this ability to change perspective, portray character's emotions, and move the story along with such attention to detail that will draw the reader in.

The characters here are not the typical "good versus evil" associated with fairy tales and fables, but more they are "strong compared to the weak". The idea that the tiny mouse would ever be able to be of assistance to the mighty lion would seem laughable, but the story fulfills the theme of kindness, charity, and even the smallest friend being a worthwhile friend. It also touches on the Golden Rule that says to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

The reader will get their happy ending, however, on the final endpapers of the book, as Jerry Pinkney shows the lion walking with his family while carrying the mouse family on his back. There is a lot to be said for books without words and the possibilities they hold to readers!

REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS

*Caldecott Medal Winner, 2010
*Parents' Choice Award, 2009
*Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award, 2009
*New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year, 2009
*National Parenting Publications Award, 2009
*Indies Choice Book Award, 2010
*Cybil Award, 2009
*Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2010

*Starred review in Children's Literature..."Aesop's classic fable tells the story of a mouse that disturbs the rest of a great lion yet miraculously survives. The beast's mercy turns out to be a good decision, for soon the lion finds himself in a similarly perilous situation. The mouse, remembering the respect and generosity he was shown, goes to repay the favor and ends up saving the lion from the clutches of death. This story of the strong helping the meek and the eventual reversal of roles illustrates the triumphant ability of treating others how you wish to be treated. The lion shows the mouse the kind of respect he gives to all other living creatures, no matter how big or small, and it ends up being very beneficial to him in the end. Pinkney's wordless interpretation of the traditional story does a great job of showing the relationship of the mouse to the lion. Even with only the pictures and their beautiful colors the story and the character interaction is extremely easy to read. Pinkney uses his own style and talent to show how mutual respect can benefit all in the end."

*Starred review in Kirkus Reviews..."A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop's fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful. A mouse, narrowly escaping an owl at dawn, skitters up what prove to be a male lion's tail and back. Lion releases Mouse in a moment of bemused gentility and-when subsequently ensnared in a poacher's rope trap-reaps the benefit thereof. Pinkney successfully blends anthropomorphism and realism, depicting Lions' massive paws and Mouse's pink inner ears along with the expressions encompassing the quizzical, hapless, and nearly smiling. He plays, too, with perspective, alternating foreground views of Mouse amid tall grasses with layered panoramas of the Serengeti plain and its multitudinous wildlife. Mouse, befitting her courage, is often depicted heroically large relative to Lion. Spreads in watercolor and pencil employ a palette of glowing amber, mouse-brown, and blue-green. Artist rendered display type ranges from a protracted "RRROAARRRRRRRRR" to nine petite squeaks from as many mouselings. If the five cubs in the back endpapers are a surprise, the mouse family of ten, perched on the ridge of the father lion's back, is sheer delight."

CONNECTIONS

*As an introduction, students can watch an interview with Jerry Pinkney on YouTube. There is a three minute clip in which he discusses The Lion & The Mouse.

*As another introduction, or a possible end-of-unit piece, there is a poem by Paul King that retells the story of the lion and the mouse. It can be read for comparison, or simply for enjoyment!

The Lion and the Mouse
(after Aesop)

Lion lies sleeping, silent and still,
Along comes a mouse and thinks he’s a hill.
Up the great body the little mouse goes,
Through mane, across ear, and down Lion’s nose.

But Lion wakes up and gives a great roar,
Catches poor Mouse in his long cruel claw.
“How dare you walk over your king and your lord!
For this only death shall be your reward.”

The little mouse shivers and shudders with fright,
Tries hard to think how to put things a-right.
“Forgive my mistake, mighty Lion, I pray,
And I promise to help you too some day.”

At this Lion laughs and shakes to and fro,
But he’s now in good humour and lets the mouse go.

Days come and days go, and some hunters pass by
Who set a great lion-trap cunning and sly.
Lion walks in, unaware of the threat,
And suddenly finds himself caught in a net.

Frustrated he roars with wrath and despair;
Little Mouse hears how he’s caught in a snare.
She remembers her promise and runs without pause
To the spot where the Lion so rages and roars.

Her sharp little teeth set to gnawing the rope,
Thread after thread, now the Lion feels hope.
Soon there’s a hole and the Lion is freed.
The Mouse has kept her promise indeed!

Paul King

*Guide the students in writing their own text based on the illustrations in the book. Begin by modeling one or two pages for the class, and then have them complete in small groups.

*Students can practice the skill of inferencing, based on illustrations. Using the format "When I see the illustration...I think (inference)...because (background knowledge)" This can be used in any subject.

*Study other award winning picture books, and discuss how the author/illustrator tells the story without any words. Examples include...

A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka (Caldecott Winner) ISBN 037585861X

Chalk by Bill Thomson (Cybil Award Finalist) ISBN 0761455264

Sector 7 by David Wiesner (Caldecott Winner) ISBN 0395746566

Time Flies by Eric Rohmann (Caldecott Winner) ISBN 0517885557

Zoom by Istvan Banyai (White Raven Award) ISBN 0140557741

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman (Caldecott Winner) ISBN 0618428585

*Discuss the concept of "All In The Family". Jerry Pinkney is married to another illustrator, Gloria Pinkney. Their son, Myles Pinkney, is a fantasy and science fiction artist. Myles is married to Sandra Pinkney, also an author of children's books. Brian Pinkney is married to Andrea Davis Pinkney, and they are both award winning authors and illustrators of children's books. The fact that this much talent exists in one family is, well, pretty amazing. Students can study these authors/illustrators individually or as a whole. Are there any resemblances in their work?