Bibliography
Pinkney, Jerry. The
Lion and the Mouse. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009.
ISBN 978-0-316-01356-7.
Plot Summary
In a wordless picture book that is adapted by one of Aesop’s
fables, we see that kindness and grace can go a long way. A tiny mouse
mistakenly takes refuge on a fierce lion after barely escaping an owl. Mouse
finds himself in the claws of the lion and fear overpowers him. To the mouse’s
surprise, lion illustrates his mercy and compassion and releases the mouse who
scurries back to the family. The lions’ kindness is repaid as mouse illustrates
his might and ability to rescue lion during a time of danger.
Critical analysis
The story consists of a world-less book that utilizes detailed
watercolor and pencil to outline the setting. The illustrations depict each
stroke of the green grass in the savannah and provides realistic imagery of
wildlife. The colors displayed within the illustrations are true to nature’s
colors and provide rich earth tones. Pinkney focuses on his illustrations to
portray the storyline to young readers, and conveys emotions by his outlines of
each animal. Lion’s emotions vary throughout the illustrations from bravery,
compassion, and even terror. Though the illustrations show the differences in
sizes and the vulnerability of the mouse within the illustrations, we infer
that their hearts are of equal size.
The book is primarily for young readers as it provides large
illustrations that take up most of the space within the pages. The story
unfolds itself within the illustrations while using minimal sound effects to
show tension as the plot continues. Along with this, the perspectives of the
mouse and lion shift as the illustrations alternate between the views of the
mouse and the lion. We see mouse stumble upon lion’s back and the shift of
perspective as mouse is caught between lion’s paw. The alternating perspectives
gives readers a deeper look into the emotions being felt between the two
characters.
Overall, the classic fable demonstrates the ability of good
triumphing over evil, and the act of grace and compassion. The emotions
portrayed allow readers to interpret the emotions and what it means to them
making it a timeless book passed down for generations.
Review Excerpts and Awards
2010 Caldecott Medal Winner
From the School
Library Journal: “The ambiguity that
results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and
ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the
drama. A classic tale from a consummate artist.”
From Kirkus Reviews: “A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop’s fable of
symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful.”
Other Connections
Other books by Jerry Pinkney
Little Red Hen
The Little Match Girl
Connections in the classroom
Students can create dialogue between lion and mouse and
infer what they believe is happening between the two characters.
Students can utilize different graphic organizers to discuss
story such as venn diagrams, cause and effect, bubble chart describing each character,
and story structure.
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