"The Lion & The Mouse" Jerry Pinkney
Bibliography
Summary
A mouse is chase by an owl and stumbles (literally) upon a
lion who takes pity on her and lets her go. Later, the mouse is able to show
her appreciation to the lion by saving his life.
Analysis
This book has no words other than
the occasional animal onomatopoeia. This in no way takes away from the
storyline, however. The tale is quite clear and, for some, well known even
without the aid of words. It would be an absolutely wonderful tool for creative
storytelling for readers of all ages since the vocabulary used can just elevate
to suit the audience.
The illustrations in this book are
so vivid and detailed that the characters can be quite easily “read” and
understood. The beautiful mice and lion have individual hairs and the owl has
clearly defined feathers. This method and skill of illustrations give the
animals and their environment a softened reality that makes it both tangible
and safe. The lion’s face is like a real lion, but you can see that he holds no
malice just by looking at his relaxed face. Later, you can clearly see the fear
on his face when he is trapped by a net. His tiny mouse friend has an equally clear
expression at this point. She is exhilarated and determined!
Though we have no real
identification of the mouse’s gender, it is seen going back to care for its
family on multiple occasions, so the indication is female. But it would be a
good thing to leave up to the opinion of the reader. This androgyny allows for
the hero to also be a heroine if the young reader needs a positive example of
heroic behavior.
Heroism is exactly what is being
exemplified in this story. The large predator is equally as heroic as the tiny savior.
This is important for children to understand as they learn how their actions
affect those around them. This book
would be a great tool to teach about the unique value and skills of each
individual in the world and how they are all equally important.
It can also teach the power of body
language and non-verbal communication through its wordless storyline. This could be a fun mentor text for children
to mimic while telling a story of their choice to see how effectively they
communicate non-verbally.
Awards
Caldecott Medal Winner, 2010
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