The Lion & the Mouse (Caldecott Medal Winner)

As a child this was one of my favorite stories as it was inside the schoolbook reader titled "Storyland Favorites" dated 1961 which had colorful pictures and simple text to explain the story. Because of this memory I already knew this story well. (For those who prefer this story with words I would suggest looking for a used copy of this old schoolbook on ebay or abebooks) This book is an absoulute TREASURE! Santa brought this for our 3 year old son (38 months) and although we didn't get to it Christmas day (too busy playing with toys!) I decided to pick it up and read it to him today and once I did, there was no going back lol He insisted I read it to him no less than about 8 times today! And he apparently has a VERY good memory because if I read it "differently" in subsequent retellings, he would insist that wasn't right and so I had to try again without leaving out the parts I might have said last time! lol For US, this was a book of MANY words, and it took us about 8 or 10 minutes each time to read the whole book! (and we sat through 5 readings in a row before nap and several more later that evening!) I love how many pages there are and how many things there are to talk about in each of the pictures! It is a delight to read and to re-read and I can see that this is going to become one of our favorites. We talk about how the mouse doesn't see the owl but he hears the owl (whooo-whooo) and decides to run into the hole because owls eat mice and he knows the owl is close by. He gets away just in time and when he comes out on the other side he looks around but doesn't see or hear the owl because the owl flew away back home. The mouse decides to take a little rest on the grass because he is out of breath from running so fast from the owl but the mouse doesn't realize he isn't on grass it is actually the lions tail which is the same color. Then he climbs up on the lions back and the lion snatches him up and says he will eat the mouse! The mouse cries out "please don't eat me Mr Lion, if you let me go, I will help you some day" The lion laughs in a deep voice, "How can you help me? You are little, I am big; you can't help me" but he lets the mouse go because he is a good lion... I could go on, but these are just some of the things we talked about in the first part of the book. I feel this book just couldn't have been done any better. I give it 5 stars but wish I could give 10. Its the only book I believe I have EVER read that didnt' have ANY words (well, there are a few here and there.. a roar or a squeak or a whoo- whoo from the owl) and I discovered (at age 38) how much fun a picture book can be. I'll be searching for more out there but I'm doubting there could be any that could trump this one (feel free to send me any suggestions!) I would suggest that the storyteller already be familiar with the story before purchasing so you are not at a loss for words when it comes time to read the story to your child, although to be honest the pictures are really self-explanatory and probably could be figured out anyway! My 3 year old was totally enthralled with the story and each of the pages! The expression on the faces of the animals is just priceless! We loved it and will be returning to it many times in the future. I wish I could hug the artist for giving us such a wonderful opportunity for spending great quality time together! I had read some reviews before purchasing and am delighted that it has met and exceeded my expectations.

I've seen so many beautiful picture books that connect more with their adult, art-loving buyers than with the children for whom they are intended. This one is the real deal -- kids love it too. I had this book sent to my grandchildren, who live at a distance. When their Mother called to thank me, I could hear "ROARRRRRR" in the background. My 16-month old grandchild was getting into the "text" (This is essentially a book without words, but the plot is evident to even the youngest child.) My 3-year-old grandson got on the phone and told me the whole story! And the Lion and the Mouse are not all -- he said, "Grandma, there are all kinds of animals" in the pictures. Grandma hit a home run this time. Not only is this one of the most beautifully-illustrated books I have ever seen, it's one children will love to "read" over and over. It's a winner. And -- another hint -- invest in the hardback. When the paperback is available, it won't include the amazing end papers.

Phenomenal! The memorable adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words", describes the exceptional illustrations in this book. With each turn of the page, the illustrator gives a double-page spread filled with elements of design. Included are great details and textured artwork, which alludes to the reader that the surface of the page may actually be tactile (Temple, Martinez, & Yokota, 2011, p. 69). There is so much detail in every image and scene that I was able to comfortably follow along with the story, even with the minimal use of words. In a sense, it actually allowed for me to imagine my own words to the story, as my eyes absorbed the actions and emotions with each flip of a page. I loved how the lion spared the life of the mouse, and in return, the mouse helped free the lion. I am reminded of a quote by Lao Tzu, "Great acts are made up of small deeds" (Jenkins, 2010, p. 16), which is truly represented in this story of heroism between the lion and mouse. References: Jenkins, L. (2010). The smartest words ever spoken: 1001 timeless quotes. Clarington, ON, Canada: A Better Choice Publishing. Pinkney, J. (2009). The lion and the mouse. China: Hachette Book Group, Inc. Temple, C., Martinez, M., & Yokota, J. (2011). Children's books in children's hands: An introduction to their literature. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

beautiful in everyday

I usually am pretty quick to return books that don't have any words written on the pages of the book. Yes, be fore-warned...this book is only pictures and nothing but pictures. Yet, the pictures are beautifully drawn. One really enjoys looking at the detail of each drawing. They are done in such a way and the story is laid out in such a way that one can easily 'talk' through the story, to their child, without needing to 'read' the story. I do still wish that the author had taken the time to write out the story on each page and really don't get why the author doesn't do this because, it is a well-known story. I do feel that this technique is better utilized in a story which is very open-ended. Therefore, allowing the reader to 'imagine' their own path for the characters. But, that is not what most people will do with this story because, it is already such an established tale. I predict that most readers will simply try to re-tell the classic tale using the pictures as their guide. Therefore, the author might-as-well include the text.

The illustrations are great! They got my cousin involved with the story, and I know that most children dont read the words in a book at a young age, but I was a little sad to find out that there were no words except fot the noises of the animals. I wish that it were broadcasted a little better that there are no written words in the book. It would have been nice knowing that he would be able to go back to a book he loved and been able to read. But this is still a great book with a great message!

The simple story of the mouse who helps a lion in return for the favor the lion initially granted is a great lesson for us all; especially the little ones. My 4 year old granddaughter has asked me to read this to her multiple times since it came to our house. The illustrations are deceptively simple in tone and hue, yet compelling in their composition. The absence of the scripted story enables me to offer multiple voices, or; invites my granddaughter to play a role in the story. This is a brilliant way to engage a young would-be reader in a simple story with far reaching implications towards civility and compassion. B

Beautiful book. As other reviewers note, there are no words in this book, other than sound effects ("scrrrratch"). Personally, I like these types of books a lot, especially for babies/toddlers because you can tell the story any way you want and in any language you want. The story is more or less the same classic you know from your childhood with a few additional details: mouse running away from an owl accidentally comes upon a lion, who wants to eat her. The mouse persuades the lion to let her go and she runs back to her babies. Later the lion is captured by hunters. The mouse runs to rescue him, and their families become friends.

This is a beautiful book first of all, telling the age-old story of mutual co-operation between mighty lion and tiny meek mouse. The story alone would be a winner, but the story is told in pictures so beautiful and expressive that the only words needed can be heard in one's imagination. A small child can "read" its meaning, as can an adult at any stage. No words are put into animals' mouths, - no anthropomorphism required. A unique presentation, worth it's weight in gold!

Jerry Pinkney is a genius. This book is alive from edge to edge. It's beautiful to behold. And the story is nourishing, as well.

Un album sans texte , mais les images suffisent à raconter l'histoire et à créer une atmosphère . Superbes illustrations tout en douceur et sensibilité ...

I am not usually a big fan of books without words, this one however is fabulous. The beautiful illustrations really make it easy to make up the story as you go along. My daughter enjoys it heaps. The gist: the lion catches a mouse, but spares her life, she goes back to her nest.. The lion gets caught in a trap, he roars, the mouse comes back to save him.

イソップ童話ライオンとねずみです。 文字のない絵本です。 日本では日本語版を光村教育図書が出版・販売しているのですが通常ルートでは在庫なく、プレ値になっている上、 直接出版社の問い合わせフォームから問い合わせても返答すらいただけなかったため、買うことを諦めて海外版を注文しました。 鳴き声以外はイラスト内のグルルルルがGRRRRぐらいなので全然問題ありませんでした。 この表紙のインパクト通りの絵柄でライオンとねずみの世界が広がっています。 子供だけでなく親まで気に入ってしまいました。 色味とかバーコードの位置とか日本版とちがうので元絵の雰囲気としてはこちらが正しいのではないかと 大変満足しています。