Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Little Brown & Company, 2009. 40 pgs.
Reading Level: ages 4-8
Hardcover: $16.99
Annotation: Can the king of the jungle and the smallest of mice ever truly be friends?
Summary: As an owl hoots and screeches over a nighttime jungle scene, a tiny mouse scampers and scurries through the brush until he is caught by a mighty lion. As the fable goes, the mouse convinces the lion to let him go, promising the lion he will sometime return the favor. Not seeing how this could ever be possible, the lion lets him go and walks off, only to be caught in a hunter's lair later that day. As the lion hangs from the rope trap, manifesting his displeasure with long and mighty roars, the mouse hears the cries and rushes to repay the lion by saving his life. Chewing through each piece of rope the tiny mouse is eventually able to free the large beast and the two part as unlikely, but faithful friends.
Evaluation: Pinkey tells Aesop's story through his stunning watercolors, with nary a word to move the story along save the sounds the animals make. A mere screech from an owl, a squeak from the mouse and a roar from the lion are the only letters on the page, yet Pinkney's gift is to convey the plot beautifully through image alone. The expression in the lion's eyes, particulary on the cover illustration is exquisitely rendered and Pinkney does a beautiful job, making good use of white space (a technique he wasn't necessarily good at in the past) and creating a lovely addition to Aesop's library.
Significance: The Lion and the Mouse is a favorite for many, children and adults alike. While Pinkney had won numerous Caldecott Honor Awards, this is his favorite of Aesop's and perhaps it was what gave him the impetous to show his best work yet. As for the fable itself, the ability to find friends in unlikely places is a wonderful lesson and Pinkey does an admirable job making it come to life.
Personal Choice: I was fortunate to be part of a mock Caldecott committee at my local library and our committee chose this title before the winner was acutally announced. What geniuses we were. :)
Awards: Caldecott Award Winner, 2010 / ABA - Indies Choice for New Picture Book, 2010
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