This adaptation of the classic Aesop’s fable, The Lion & the Mouse, roars with life...using almost no words at all! The front cover shows a stunning portrayal of a lion king with a glorious golden mane. The beast is staring sideways at a timid little mouse pictured on the back cover. Award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney conveys this beloved childhood favorite through his exquisitely detailed artwork created in watercolor and colored pencil. No words are necessary; only an owl’s “Who who whoooo!” warning of the dangers lurking in the dark, or the “squeak squeak” of terrified mice feet scampering over huge feline paw prints, or the mighty “ROOAARRRR!” of the powerful lion breaks the silence.
“Sometimes even the king needs a little help…and little friends may prove to be great friends.”
Once upon a time ago, as the story goes, a tiny mouse scurries through the African Serengeti plain. It climbs onto a “hill” that turns out to be a sleeping lion. In a random act of kindness, the ferocious lion king releases the rodent instead of eating it. Later a poacher’s net traps the beast, leaving him hanging sheepishly in midair. The courageous mouse returns the lion’s good deed by chewing through the ropes and setting the king of the beasts free. Since there are so few words, readers are free to use their vivid imaginations to explore the story for themselves. As Jerry Pinkney says, The Lion & the Mouse is a “great tale for all times!”
Jerry Pinkney also illustrated the classic animal tale Rikki-Tikki-Tavi written by Rudyard Kipling. For another award winning picture book, try Art & Max by David Wiesner (links below).