The Lion and the Mouse
by Jerry
Pinkney
Bibliography
Pinkney,
Jerry. Adapter. 2009. The Lion and the Mouse.
New York, NY: Little, Brown Books. ISBN: 9780316013567
Plot Summary
In this
retelling of an Aesop’s fable, Pinkney shares the story of an unlikely pairing
between a lion and mouse. Upon finding the lion snared in a trapper’s net, the
mouse remembers when he was previously released by the lion. The mouse pays his
debt by chewing through the trap ropes, freeing the lion.
Critical Analysis
Pinkney’s
wordless adaptation of the Aesop’s fable, The Lion and the Mouse takes the
reader through the story with vivid watercolor illustrations. The cover image
devoid of any title or wording forces the reader to want to investigate
further. Beginning with the sweeping images on the Serengeti in the endpapers,
each illustration seems to vibrate and carry the reader through the story making
words unnecessary.
The
story unfolds through alternating close up images of the mouse and lion
and wider views, some from an aerial point of view. Other Serengeti animals
enter the scenes lending authenticity to the story’s African setting.
Although
it is a wordless book, Pinkney judiciously chooses animal sounds to include
such as, the “who, who, whoooo” and “screeeech” of an owl, “grrr” of the lion,
and oft repeated “squeak” and “scratch” of the mouse. Included as part of the illustrations,
this text blends into the scenes adding to a sense of realism.
Review Excerpt (s)
- CALDECOTT MEDAL 2010
- ALA Notable Children’s Books 2010
- BOOKLIST starred review: “Pinkney’s soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rocks…”
- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Pinkney has no need for words; his art speaks eloquently for itself.”
Connections
- Other Pinkney retellings: Little Red Riding Hood ISBN-10:
0316013552 ISBN-13:
978-0316013550
The Ugly Duckling ISBN-10: 068815932X ISBN-13: 978-0688159320
- Discuss ways in which the meek and strong can mutually help each other
- Create wordless picture book retellings of favorite traditional tales
- Research animals depicted in illustrations
The Three Little Pigs: An
Architectural Tale
by
Steven Guarnaccia
Bibliography
Guarnaccia,
Steven. 2010. The Three Little Pigs: An
Architectural Tale. New York, NY: Abrams. ISBN: 9780810989412
Plot Summary
Guarnaccia’s
take on the tale, The Three Little Pigs, brings pig brothers and homebuilders
differently than we’ve seen them before. The three pigs leave their mother’s
home and build their own homes in the styles of architects Frank Gehry, Philip
Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright. As in the original, the big bad wolf’s plan to
eat the pigs is foiled by the third and strongest house.
Critical Analysis
In this
fractured fairy tale version of The Three Little Pigs, Guarnaccia creates a
parody that can be appreciated by both children and adults. Children will
delight in Guarnaccia’s portrayal of the big bad wolf resplendent in his black
leather jacket and jeans while riding a motor scooter. Adults will appreciate
the persistent nods to great design present in not only the pig’s characters of
Frank Gehry, Philip Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright, but the attention and
praise paid to these architects.
Using
simple, boldly colored illustrations and hand lettered text; Guarnaccia has
designed a book as visually appealing as the designer chairs he includes in
each pig’s house. Each of the three pig houses reflects a simplified version of
the architect’s original design. The third house illustration, representing the
Frank Lloyd House, incorporates just enough elements of the original design,
complete with waterfall, to give readers a taste of this style of architecture.
Scattered
throughout the book are nods to famous buildings, chairs, and other objects
created by famous architects and designers. Endpapers serve as a kind of
glossary to these objects.
Review Excerpt(s)
- BOOKLIST: “Guarnaccia combines a delightfully fractured fairy tale with an ultrastylish, kid-friendly primer of twentieth-century design.”
- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “[Guarnaccia] plays to design fans, decorating the pigs' homes with objects by the likes of Noguchi and Starck, and his endpapers provide a visual index to the allusions.”
- Research architects, buildings, and other objects represented in the book
- Compare other variants and versions of The Three Little Pigs
Three Samurai Cats: A Story from
Japan
Retold by
Eric Kimmel
Illustrated
by Mordicai Gerstein
Bibliography
Kimmel,
Eric. Adapter. 2003. Three Samurai Cats:
A Story from Japan. Ill. by Mordicai Gerstein. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN-13: 9780823418770
ISBN-10: 0823418774
Plot Summary
In
medieval Japan, the castle of a powerful lord, a daimyo, is occupied by a mean
and nasty “savage” rat. After guard dogs prove powerless against the rat, three
samurai cats are brought to the castle to defeat the rat. In the end, the “decrepit
old cat” is the only one to successfully defeat the rat.
Critical Analysis
Kimmel’s
adaptation is full of action-packed dialogue within a fast-paced narrative. Attention
is paid to include Japanese references within the English text; “Watch! I will
demonstrate the technique of karigane,
the wild goose, followed by shimo-tatewari,
the bottom vertical split.”
The colorful
pen and ink illustrations are finely detailed. Gerstein’s use of humor, as seen
in the pot-bellied rat sprawled across the floor in a gluttonous stupor,
complements the text well. Kimmel’s descriptions of the samurai moves are skillfully
portrayed in Gerstein’s images of a sword-yielding samurai cat.
Children
will delight in the swordsmanship action and humorous illustrations, while
adults will enjoy the tale’s lesson; “Draw strength from stillness, Learn to
act without acting.”
Review Excerpt(s)
- BOOKLIST: “Humorous, perfectly paced language…[the] colorful, detailed drawings are irresistible.”
- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Humor, wisdom and excitement make this offbeat tale a winner.”
- KIRKUS REVIEWS: “A sophisticated story designed to stimulate unconventional thinking.”
Connections
- Discuss the lesson learned by the daimyo
- Explore Japanese culture and traditions
- Explore Eric Kimmel’s website: http://ericakimmel.com/
- Other books by Kimmel:
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins ISBN-10: 0823411311
