The Lion & The Mouse - Praiseworthy Version of Aesop's Fable
Written: Oct 18 '09 (Updated Oct 18 '09)
Product Rating:
Pros: Good message, beautiful illustrations
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: This picture book is a beautifully illustrated version of one of Aesop's fables. Its solid message is told in gorgeous pictures with no narrative text. It's a gem!
donnamr's Full Review: Jerry Pinkney - The Lion & the Mouse
In an afterword to his book, The Lion and the Mouse, Jerry Pinkney explains how, as a child, he was touched by the tale of an act of mercy resulting in a small and helpless creature saving the life of a strong and mighty one. Thank goodness the story meant so much to him, because he has created a beautifully illustrated picture book based upon the tale.
The Story In this familiar Aesop's fable, a mouse disturbs a resting lion. The lion captures the mouse, but acts mercifully and lets the small creature go. Later, the lion is caught in a rope trap set by hunters. No manner of struggling sets him free. The mouse comes to the rescue, gnawing at the rope until it snaps, freeing the lion.
In Pinkney's version, the story is set in the African Serengeti. Both the mouse and the lion are presented in domestic poses with their respective families at the end of the story.
Story-Telling Technique The underlying themes of mercy, kindness, and friendship are good ones for preschool as well as early elementary school-aged children. The messages that the powerful must not abuse strength, that the weak can have impact, that kindness reaps kindness - these are healthy lessons.
There is no written text in this story, save for the representation of sounds. An owl chases a mouse into its hole: screech! The mouse greets her waiting babies: squeak, squeak, squeak. A lion rrroaarrrrrrrs! The simplicity and emphasis on sound makes this an excellent read-aloud book. Pinkney also points out that he has incorporated these simple sounds because they represent some of the natural ones of the Serengeti.
Since the story is not told through words, the illustrations forward the plot...
Illustrations ...and what beautiful illustrations these are! I was initially attracted to the book by the magnificent orange and gold drawing of the lion's head that fills the front jacket of the book. There is no print on the front jacket - the reader must open the book to discover the title. The lion's golden eyes are looking toward the spine of the book. Opening the book and following his glance to the back jacket, we see the mouse, brown and cream-colored amid the yellow and pale green soft blades of grass.
Remove the jacket and the front cover of the book simply shows a panel with the lion's face on the left, now glancing in the other direction toward a panel showing the mouse chewing on a rope. Here the title is implied by placing the "&" between the two pictures. It's a preview of what's to come in the book - a story told through pictures alone.
The illustrations look like soft watercolors. The earthy colors of green, brown, and orange dominate. Pinkney shows close-ups, overhead views, and panoramic views. In one sequence in which the mouse gnaws at the rope, there are four consecutive panels on a two-page spread, showing the mouse's progress.
There is no need for language in the story. The pictures are so intricately done that they show the action of the plot as well as the emotions of the characters. The details of the faces and the surrounding brush and trees are striking. As lovely as pictures of the environment are, they never detract from the characters of the lion and the mouse. I especially love how Pinkney blends yellow, orange, red, and brown into the mane of the lion, and contrasts those with the gray and light brown of the mouse.
And So... I love Jerry Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse. I love the concept and the execution. I love the illustrations. I love the message. I bought it. It would make a great gift for my young niece.
On second thought, I'm going to be selfish and keep it for myself!
In this wordless adaptation of one of Aesop s most beloved fables by an award-winning artist, an unlikely pair learns that no act of kindness is ever ...More at Buy.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.