The Lion and the Mouse

Amazing artwork

Although the art is truly amazing, for first time readers it is difficult to determine how the story should be. At times it is difficult to see the mouse, making it difficult to keep the story going. I have five children, only one appreciated the art as much as I did, the others would have liked to enjoy the actual story.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Beautiful

Jerry Pinkney is one of the most cherished children's book illustrators of all time. Having received four NY Times Best Illustrator Awards, nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, he is a five-time recipient of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award. He resides in New York with his wife.
In this wordless adaptation of a classic Aesop fable, The Lion & The Mouse shows this unlikely pair of friends and how no good deed of kindness is ever wasted.
We all know the tale of The Lion & The Mouse, but seeing this story told through illustration only, with no text, puts a unique and creative spin on an old classic. It allows children to tell their own version and engages conversation. As always, Jerry Pinkney delivers a stunning and beautifully illustrated story. Highly recommended!

Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Absolutely Beautiful!

I love this classic tale redone in theis book. Not too much, not too little. The illustrations are just beautiful.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

A absolutely gorgeous rendition of the fable, The Lion and the Mouse. The illustrations are so outstanding -the book does not need words!!! A must purchase for collections!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wordless but breathtaking

Jerry Pinkney is one of my favorite illustrators, and this book is one of his finest, in my opinion. The watercolors bring this Aesop's tale to life without a single word of print! Wordless books are made to be shared and discussed, so I bought this to add to my collection of other wordless books, which I use in my 2cd grade classroom. Without words, literature is not dependent on the adjectives and descriptions found in the text, but can be as complex as the vocabulary of the "reader".Finally, the message of this fable has many levels and meaning depending on personal experience. For me, I grew up with the traditional message: you don't have to be strong and powerful to make a difference in someone's life. How many words of virtue can you find in this book? Courage, humility, forgiveness, mercy, sympathy, gratitude...
Here are some other wordless books for children:

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

An Amazing Picture Book

This book features some of the most expressive character drawings that I've seen. It provides endless fascination.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Georgeous book, great retelling

First of all, the cover is filled with awesome, and I love seeing it on my shelf. (It's been face-out in my home bookshelf, where I place my Caldecott pick for the year. Yes, I'm a book geek sometimes.) And the interior of the book is just as good. Pinkney's illustrations tell the story of the Lion and the Mouse, with a few twists that keep the story fresh. (Mouse is the star, in my opinion.) The watercolors are very expressive, making this a great book not only for lovers of children's lit and picture books, but a great pick for art lovers as well.

This book is beautiful, and shows what art can do. Kids and adults will love it. The one trouble some might have is it's not a typical read-aloud, unless you're good at "reading" on the fly, since it's wordless. But that's a very, very small thing, as the story is very clear via the art, and the lack of words gives it more power, and can spark creativity and imagination in the child. Plus, if you're so inclined, you can tell the story a different way each time, making any bedtime readings a little less tedious. (Your child could even "read" it to you.)

Pick it up quickly, before the Caldecott sticker gets affixed :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Lion and the Mouse Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

I first heard about this beautiful book in a New York Times Book Review and decided I would consider it as a Christmas gift for my new grandson. However, once I actually found this treasure and took the time to enjoy it, I decided that I would add it to my own collection! While there is little actual text, the book lends itself to the reader's imagination and even a young child can use his own words to tell the story. I would highly recommend this wonderfully illustrated story of the timeless classic with the underlying message that even a tiny creature can offer help to a powerful one!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Classic revived

Beautiful illustrations accompany this classic Aesop tale.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

WHAT A LION! WHAT A MOUSE! WHAT AN ARTIST!

This particular Aesop fable is familiar to most - the story of a wee, insignificant mouse who happens to disturb a lion. Well, of course, the little mouse is a mere tidbit for the lion. Nonetheless, this magnificent king of the jungle decides to let the little fellow go.

Later, the lion is entrapped by poachers and the little mouse remembers the lion's kindness and manages to set the lion free. There is so much to be learned from this fable and there are many different interpretations of the story. This wordless version by noted artist Jerry Pinkney is remarkable not only for the beauty of Pinkney's work but because it allows the reader or in this case story teller to offer a different narrative each time the book is shown. One never tires of looking at the artist's stunning full page paintings, and young listeners don't tire of hearing the story over and over again, each time with a slightly different twist.

The mantel at Pinkney's home must sag with the numerous awards he has received - four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards, five Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Awards, etc. All so richly deserved. Since I've no trophy to offer I merely send thanks for one more beautifully illustrated book that will become a part of our permanent collection.

- Gail Cooke

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT WORD-LESS BOOKS?

The great thing about wordless picture books like The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney and Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day is that they engage the imagination in ways that books with text cannot. The reader is challenged to tell the story in his own words using the author's illustrations as inspiration. There's nothing to "read" so you must "tell" instead and that makes for a very different storytime experience for both the teller and the listener.

Another great thing? You don't have to be old enough to read to enjoy the book. Try this - - after you've told the story to your child, hand over the book and have her "tell" it back to you. You'll be surprised at the whimsical interpretations she'll come up with. Perhaps the mouse is a wizard and the lion is a princess under a spell?

Try this - - tell the story backwards. There's no set narrative, so why not? Start with the final picture and start the story there. Then page by page go backwards to the first picture, making up a story as you go along. Then have your child give it a try.

Who needs printed words!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Spend time with your little one creating your own fable

This is one of the best illustrated picture books to come out in a long time!
It is the retelling of the Aesop fable about the lion who spares a mouse only to find himself needing the mouse's help later on when he is caught in a net. Jerry Pinkney's illustrations allow the reader to create his own version of the fable - there are very few words. This book was a big hit at storytime and gave my young audience a chance to help me tell the story.
A wonderful story of friendship and trust to be enjoyed by the child in all of us.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

highly recomend for you to buy for children and adults!

This Aesop's fable brought teaars to my husband's eyes as he looked thru this excellently illustratred book. The story was best told w/out words, and is briliantly executed. It is now one of our very favorite books.

Beautifully illustrated

Book relies completely on illustration as no text is printed. A parent or child would need to know the story to be able to tell it while viewing the illustrations. But the illustrations are evident enough that the reader can understand all but maybe Aesop's moral -- would depend on the age of the reader.

No Story

I'm appalled that you're selling books for children that have no story
words.....just pictures. How is a child to associate words with
pictures, if none are included in the book.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Award Winning!

Beautifully illustrated! A wonderful book to sit down with appropriate aged children and help them tell the story. Very much an interactive story, letting them use their imagination, yet helping them learn the morale of the story. I love to collect good award winning books, this is a keeper and a gift giver.

Beautifully illustrated picture book of classic tale

Without words (except for a few that are part of the illustrations) this book provides a wonderful version of classic fable, The Lion and the Mouse. My two year old granddaughter loves retelling the story herself, page by page, with her own variations. She constantly wants it "read" again so each time we can add more detail by looking at the illustrations. This version by Jerry Pinkney is the best I have ever seen.

Thrilling retelling of old tale

This book is so lovingly and beautifully drawn. The entire story is told in beautiful pictures. The American artist spent time in the Serengetti and his art work truly reflects the mood and ambiance of the grassland. Each of the animals, particularly the lion, leap from the page into the mind. Children who are not yet reading can tell the story from the pictures.

There are no words..........

really - there are no words - just truly gorgeous illustrations on the old "lion and mouse" theme.
The pictures themselves tell the story , so this makes the book good for very little children as you can make up your own verbage and get more detailed as the child get older.
The book also makes a beautiful accessory in a child's room!

You never know when you will need a Friend

This beautifully illustrated book by Jerry Pinkney is an excellent choice of a story to share with preschoolers. There are very few words so the adult must know Aesop's fable "The Lion and the Mouse." The few words are very well chosen and the young listener will participate because the words are onomatopoetic, they say themselves. For example "whooo, screeech, grrrr, squeek, scratch and roarrrr are fun to say and the pictures give many clues The young "reader" will be able to repeat the story and add to it just by looking at the illustrations.

The book earned the Caldecott Medal which says a lot about its quality.
Also the lesson learned about the little mouse helping the big lion is a good lesson for all of us.