The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Published by Little, Brown and Company
2010 Caldecott Medal Winner
Summary:
In this book for young readers Jerry Pinkster retells one of Aesop's fables - The Lion and the Mouse. This fables tells of a small mouse who accidentally stumbles across a Lion one day and disturbs him. In most cases the lion would have devoured the mouse in an instant. However, on this day the lion decides to release the mouse thus saving the mouse's life. Some time late the lion is caught in a hunters trap. The mouse hears the lions great roar and comes to the lions rescue chewing him free from the ropes.
Response:
This picture book shares with everyone the importance of friends great and small and the power of compassion. In some ways it also shows the power of good karma.
The greatest thing about this story is the way in which it is shared with the reader. The Lion and the Mouse is a true picture book as it contains no words. Only wonderfully created are used to tell this powerful story. The few words used throughout the story are integrated with the text and all are sound words. I feel this would be an extremely interesting book to share with children and to hear their responses to. As there are no words the book is left open to a fair amount of interpretation. Those who have not heard the fable upon which this book is based may interpret and react differently to it than those who already know the story's intended purpose or moral.
This book tells a great story of friendship, grace, and compassion that can be of value to people of all ages.
