Genre: Picture Books_The Lion and The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. THE LION AND THE MOUSE. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Little, Brown Young Readers. ISBN 9780316013567.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The Lion and the Mouse is a tale about a mouse that wanders through the dense yellow grass of Africa and inadvertently scales the back of a resting lion. Lion, who quickly catches the mouse, decides to set the mouse free. Shortly after releasing the mouse, Lion sets out through the jungle when suddenly he is ensnared by a concealed net set by hunters. The lion’s roar is heard and in no time the mouse comes to the lion’s rescue. The lion and the mouse have one final moment before mouse scampers away.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This picture book is a treasure trove of character trait lessons. Pinkney’s sharp illustrations and absence of words effectively convey mercy, compassion, kindness, humility, pre-judgments, friendship, and so much more. The traits of mercy and compassion are unveiled when the lion, whose enormous frame is spread across two pages, first releases the mouse. The act of kindness is evident when mouse repays lion by gnawing away at the net and freeing him. Last, but not least, a teacher or teacher-librarian can address humility. The final illustration between the lion and the mouse exudes a sense of humility from the lion. Pinkney shows Lion almost prostrate before the mouse with his front legs extended forward, head laying lower than his backend and his tail softly swiveling. This is definitely a book that offers many of life’s lessons and one worth keeping in the classroom.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
The Caldecott Medal
Starred reviewed in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: [The illustrator] “has no need for words, his art speaks eloquently for itself.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*This book lends itself to several social issues children in elementary deal with.
*I used the flannel board story of The Lion and The Mouse with students in kindergarten, first, and second grades. Conversations about bullying, friends coming in different sizes and brawn versus brain often came up.