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Mouse & Lion
From the illustrator of the classic edition of Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs
On a ridge above the Kalihari,
Lion naps, until Mouse bumbles into him,
willy-nilly, startling him awake.
After a show of teeth, Lion is softened
by Mouse's pledge of loyalty
and sets him free.
When a cold moon brings a humbling lesson,
Lion comes to recognize
Mouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.
Mouse and Lion, Aesop's fabled duo,
renew their ancient bond
in this warm retelling by Rand Burkert,
illuminated by the authentic natural detail
of Nancy Ekholm Burkert's art.
On a ridge above the Kalihari,
Lion naps, until Mouse bumbles into him,
willy-nilly, startling him awake.
After a show of teeth, Lion is softened
by Mouse's pledge of loyalty
and sets him free.
When a cold moon brings a humbling lesson,
Lion comes to recognize
Mouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.
Mouse and Lion, Aesop's fabled duo,
renew their ancient bond
in this warm retelling by Rand Burkert,
illuminated by the authentic natural detail
of Nancy Ekholm Burkert's art.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 30, 2021
Rand and Nancy Ekholm Burkert retell the classic Aesopian fable of The Lion and the Mouse in this delightful picture-book, set in the Aha hills on the border of Botswana and Namibia. Disturbing the great King of the Beasts one day, when he mistakes him for a mountain to be climbed, the mouse pleads for his life, assuring his leonine captor that he might be able to aid him one day. Amused at the notion, the lion releases the mouse, little dreaming that this tiny murine creature will indeed come to his rescue, some time later...
Although I read a number of picture-book retellings of this fable as part of the Aesop project I conducted a few years ago, I somehow never stumbled across Mouse & Lion, and this despite my interest in the subject, and my great admiration for Nancy Ekholm Burkert's artwork. I am glad to have that omission rectified, as I found this an outstanding presentation. The narrative is engaging, fleshing out the interaction between mouse and lion in a convincing way, but it is the artwork that particularly stands out. Done in colored pencil and watercolor, the illustrations here are delicate, expressive, and completely charming. Burkert's mouse is modeled on the striped African grass mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio, and (like the lion) is beautifully depicted.
I appreciated Rand Burkert's note at the rear, regarding the choice to put the mouse first in the title, as it is he who is the true hero of the tale. I also appreciated Nancy Ekholm Burkert's note about her decision to place the story in the Aha hills, a location where Rhabdomys pumilio, Panthera leo and baobab trees might all coexist. It's interesting to me that contemporary retellers of this fable inevitably choose an African setting—Jerry Pinkney's Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion and the Mouse , for instance, is set on the African savannah—perhaps reflecting the fact that we think of lions as belonging to that continent, in the current day. Of course, when these fables we now attribute to Aesop were being penned by Greek and Roman authors—Babrius and Phaedrus mostly—there were still lions in the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, Europe. However that may be, this is a lovely retelling, and is one I would wholeheartedly recommend to picture-book readers looking for Aesopian retellings, or who appreciate beautiful artwork. I can't help but agree with the friend who commented that it was a travesty that this title didn't receive a Caldecott nod, at the very least. It certainly deserved it as much as the Pinkney.
Although I read a number of picture-book retellings of this fable as part of the Aesop project I conducted a few years ago, I somehow never stumbled across Mouse & Lion, and this despite my interest in the subject, and my great admiration for Nancy Ekholm Burkert's artwork. I am glad to have that omission rectified, as I found this an outstanding presentation. The narrative is engaging, fleshing out the interaction between mouse and lion in a convincing way, but it is the artwork that particularly stands out. Done in colored pencil and watercolor, the illustrations here are delicate, expressive, and completely charming. Burkert's mouse is modeled on the striped African grass mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio, and (like the lion) is beautifully depicted.
I appreciated Rand Burkert's note at the rear, regarding the choice to put the mouse first in the title, as it is he who is the true hero of the tale. I also appreciated Nancy Ekholm Burkert's note about her decision to place the story in the Aha hills, a location where Rhabdomys pumilio, Panthera leo and baobab trees might all coexist. It's interesting to me that contemporary retellers of this fable inevitably choose an African setting—Jerry Pinkney's Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion and the Mouse , for instance, is set on the African savannah—perhaps reflecting the fact that we think of lions as belonging to that continent, in the current day. Of course, when these fables we now attribute to Aesop were being penned by Greek and Roman authors—Babrius and Phaedrus mostly—there were still lions in the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, Europe. However that may be, this is a lovely retelling, and is one I would wholeheartedly recommend to picture-book readers looking for Aesopian retellings, or who appreciate beautiful artwork. I can't help but agree with the friend who commented that it was a travesty that this title didn't receive a Caldecott nod, at the very least. It certainly deserved it as much as the Pinkney.
Read
November 1, 2017Summary
This is a classic fable that has been told for hundreds of years. It begins with a lion sleeping and a mouse accidentally stepping on him because he thought he was a mountain. The lion laughs in his face and threatens to kill him. The mouse tells the lion that he may need him one day for help. Reluctantly, the lion frees the mouse laughing about how he would never need help form a feeble mouse. One day, the lion gets caught in a net and is in need of someone to get him down. The mouse comes to his rescue and chews through the net. The mouse now saved the lion.
Evaluation
This is such a classic fable with a great moral. This book in particular has soft imagines that would attract smaller children in my opinion. I think this is a great story for children to hear and would fit well in a first grade classroom when discussing folklore.
Teaching Point
My teaching point is having this book read as a read aloud in first grade during the folklore unit. Students would listen to this story and other versions of the story. Independently they will compare and contrast each version and decide whether or not the moral changes even if the story is a little different.
This is a classic fable that has been told for hundreds of years. It begins with a lion sleeping and a mouse accidentally stepping on him because he thought he was a mountain. The lion laughs in his face and threatens to kill him. The mouse tells the lion that he may need him one day for help. Reluctantly, the lion frees the mouse laughing about how he would never need help form a feeble mouse. One day, the lion gets caught in a net and is in need of someone to get him down. The mouse comes to his rescue and chews through the net. The mouse now saved the lion.
Evaluation
This is such a classic fable with a great moral. This book in particular has soft imagines that would attract smaller children in my opinion. I think this is a great story for children to hear and would fit well in a first grade classroom when discussing folklore.
Teaching Point
My teaching point is having this book read as a read aloud in first grade during the folklore unit. Students would listen to this story and other versions of the story. Independently they will compare and contrast each version and decide whether or not the moral changes even if the story is a little different.
August 30, 2017
(compare to Pinkney's Caldecott winner... same year?)
Ok, that was published two years earlier, recognized therefore just one year earlier and still fresh in the minds of the committee looking at this, I imagine.
That was much more intense. One can feel the heat of the climate, the power of the lion. This is almost as good, but more delicate. It has more personality, even some humor. But it has a lot of words, relatively speaking, and the other makes it clear that words are not necessary. I love the Burkert's work, but I'm not sure it's best suited to this tale. I will look for more by them.
Ok, that was published two years earlier, recognized therefore just one year earlier and still fresh in the minds of the committee looking at this, I imagine.
That was much more intense. One can feel the heat of the climate, the power of the lion. This is almost as good, but more delicate. It has more personality, even some humor. But it has a lot of words, relatively speaking, and the other makes it clear that words are not necessary. I love the Burkert's work, but I'm not sure it's best suited to this tale. I will look for more by them.
Read
November 7, 2016Title: Mouse and Lion
Author: Rand Burkert
Illustrator: Nancy Eckholm Burkert
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): bravery, loyalty, hero, strength, good vs. evil,
Opening line/sentence: “One day, Mouse, hurrying home, lost his way on a rocky ridge.”
Brief Book Summary: A mouse accidentally mistakes a lion for a mountain and proceeds to climb over him when the lion wakes up and threatens to eat him. The mouse convinces the lion that he is brave and that he should not eat him, for one day he may need him. The lion lets him go, laughing thinking that he may ever need a mouse, but the mouse eventually helps the lion out of a trap a year later that was set by hunters. The lion thanks the mouse and tells him he should go on and climb whatever mountains in his kingdom that he pleases.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Publishers Weekly
In jaunty prose, first-time author Rand Burkert—the illustrator’s son—retells Aesop’s fable of the mouse who stumbles over a lion (“Sire, I took you for a mountain—honestly!”) and pleads for his freedom (“You might need me someday, in a pinch”); the mouse fulfills the prediction by gnawing him free from a hunter’s net. “You shall also be free, Mouse!” says the lion. “I grant you liberty to climb every mountain in my kingdom.” Caldecott Honoree Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s (Snow-White and the Seven Dwarves) exquisitely drafted spreads celebrate the beauty of the African savannah, often from a mouse’s-eye view: a graceful blade of grass, a moth’s wing, the thorns of the scrubby African shrubs. Moments of drama are sometimes represented in a series of spot illustrations, the present instant in full color, those past or yet to come in pale blue, a lovely way of expressing time on an unmoving page. Creamy paper, a spare layout, and fine typography combine to create an object that reminds readers of the physical pleasures of books; it’s a gratifying addition to Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s small but treasured oeuvre. All ages. (Oct.)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Children’s Literature - Susan Thomas
In a time when anti-bullying campaigns have become popular in schools, it seems only fitting that the mouse gets top billing in the title of this familiar fable. After awakening him by mistake, the mouse has to prove to the lion that he should live. A year later, the mouse becomes the hero of the story as he repays the lion by freeing him from the hunters' net. The illustrations have been created with careful attention to the accuracy of the setting, a landscape where the animals described really could exist. The illustrator has chosen an area bordering Botswana and Namibia, where the lion and the mouse live among baobab trees, tall grasses, and rocky ridges. Since this retelling appears on the children's book scene less than three years after Jerry Pinkney's Caldecott award-winning The Lion & the Mouse, it seems that another fable may have been a better choice. However it is done well, and a bit differently; Pinkney's story is told with very few words. This could lead to some interesting lessons in comparing and contrasting the retellings of Aesop's fables. Reviewer: Susan Thomas
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I like how review #2 describes this book while also noting anti-bullying campaigns and how they are alike. This book would be perfect to use in an elementary classroom when teaching about anti-bullying or helping one another in the classroom community. Again, the wonderful illustrations in this book only add to the great detail in the words, making it a great read-aloud book for most elementary aged students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The book has really great pictures that cover the entire page. I think students will be really interested in listening to and looking at this picture, especially during a read-aloud. The book also has a plot that comes full circle, from the lion letting the mouse go and then the mouse returning the favor and freeing the lion. It shows that the hero of the story doesn’t always have to be the character that is the biggest or strongest.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book would be great as a read-aloud in an elementary classroom (grades K-2). It could be used to explore the benefit of helping others, even if it seems like someone is not capable of helping you at first. The book is great for building up your classroom community, and it should be read in the beginning of the school year.
Author: Rand Burkert
Illustrator: Nancy Eckholm Burkert
Genre: Fable
Theme(s): bravery, loyalty, hero, strength, good vs. evil,
Opening line/sentence: “One day, Mouse, hurrying home, lost his way on a rocky ridge.”
Brief Book Summary: A mouse accidentally mistakes a lion for a mountain and proceeds to climb over him when the lion wakes up and threatens to eat him. The mouse convinces the lion that he is brave and that he should not eat him, for one day he may need him. The lion lets him go, laughing thinking that he may ever need a mouse, but the mouse eventually helps the lion out of a trap a year later that was set by hunters. The lion thanks the mouse and tells him he should go on and climb whatever mountains in his kingdom that he pleases.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Publishers Weekly
In jaunty prose, first-time author Rand Burkert—the illustrator’s son—retells Aesop’s fable of the mouse who stumbles over a lion (“Sire, I took you for a mountain—honestly!”) and pleads for his freedom (“You might need me someday, in a pinch”); the mouse fulfills the prediction by gnawing him free from a hunter’s net. “You shall also be free, Mouse!” says the lion. “I grant you liberty to climb every mountain in my kingdom.” Caldecott Honoree Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s (Snow-White and the Seven Dwarves) exquisitely drafted spreads celebrate the beauty of the African savannah, often from a mouse’s-eye view: a graceful blade of grass, a moth’s wing, the thorns of the scrubby African shrubs. Moments of drama are sometimes represented in a series of spot illustrations, the present instant in full color, those past or yet to come in pale blue, a lovely way of expressing time on an unmoving page. Creamy paper, a spare layout, and fine typography combine to create an object that reminds readers of the physical pleasures of books; it’s a gratifying addition to Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s small but treasured oeuvre. All ages. (Oct.)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Children’s Literature - Susan Thomas
In a time when anti-bullying campaigns have become popular in schools, it seems only fitting that the mouse gets top billing in the title of this familiar fable. After awakening him by mistake, the mouse has to prove to the lion that he should live. A year later, the mouse becomes the hero of the story as he repays the lion by freeing him from the hunters' net. The illustrations have been created with careful attention to the accuracy of the setting, a landscape where the animals described really could exist. The illustrator has chosen an area bordering Botswana and Namibia, where the lion and the mouse live among baobab trees, tall grasses, and rocky ridges. Since this retelling appears on the children's book scene less than three years after Jerry Pinkney's Caldecott award-winning The Lion & the Mouse, it seems that another fable may have been a better choice. However it is done well, and a bit differently; Pinkney's story is told with very few words. This could lead to some interesting lessons in comparing and contrasting the retellings of Aesop's fables. Reviewer: Susan Thomas
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I like how review #2 describes this book while also noting anti-bullying campaigns and how they are alike. This book would be perfect to use in an elementary classroom when teaching about anti-bullying or helping one another in the classroom community. Again, the wonderful illustrations in this book only add to the great detail in the words, making it a great read-aloud book for most elementary aged students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The book has really great pictures that cover the entire page. I think students will be really interested in listening to and looking at this picture, especially during a read-aloud. The book also has a plot that comes full circle, from the lion letting the mouse go and then the mouse returning the favor and freeing the lion. It shows that the hero of the story doesn’t always have to be the character that is the biggest or strongest.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book would be great as a read-aloud in an elementary classroom (grades K-2). It could be used to explore the benefit of helping others, even if it seems like someone is not capable of helping you at first. The book is great for building up your classroom community, and it should be read in the beginning of the school year.
July 22, 2015
Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book
Fiction/Traditional Literature/ Fables/Picture Book
Estimate of age level of interest
K-3
Estimate of reading level
3.4
Brief description
In this retelling of the classic Aesop fable, Mouse scampers over a mountain that mistakenly turns out to be none other than Lion – who decides that Mouse may make a tasty morsel. Mouse thinks quickly and convinces Lion that he is a loyal and brave mouse and that Lion might need him someday. Lion agrees and sends Mouse on his way. A year passes – Lion becomes trapped in a hunter’s net. Mouse comes to his rescue, using his teeth to chew apart the ropes and free Lion. Lion grants Mouse the liberty to climb every mountain in his kingdom.
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book
• The animals merely represent aspects of human nature. (p. 117)
Mouse & Lion cross paths quite by accident when Mouse scampered over Lion thinking Lion was a boulder. When Lion reacts by contemplating to eat Mouse, Mouse finds himself proving his bravery – telling Lion that he may need him someday. Lion just laughs. But in the end, Lion, who represents kingliness, and Mouse, who represents meekness, trade roles and it’s up to Mouse to save Lion.
• Because of their brevity, fables appear to be simple. However, they convey an abstract idea in relatively few words, and for that reason they are highly complex. (p. 117)
The moral of Mouse & Lion is to demonstrate that both Mouse & Lion learned kindness, loyalty, gratitude, and the importance of second chances.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Mouse & Lion is well-suited for its intended audience because it can teach young readers (or anyone) that no matter how small [fill-in the adjective] you may be, you can overcome obstacles and do great things. Hurray for all of us mice out there!
Awards if any
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc
ALA Notable Children's Books 2012
Library Media Connection 01/01/12
Booklist starred 12/01/11
New York Times 11/13/11
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 11/01/11
Publishers Weekly starred 08/22/11
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/11
Library Journal starred 08/01/11
Horn Book Magazine 04/01/12
Wilson's Children 10/01/12
Kirkus Reviews starred 09/01/11
Fiction/Traditional Literature/ Fables/Picture Book
Estimate of age level of interest
K-3
Estimate of reading level
3.4
Brief description
In this retelling of the classic Aesop fable, Mouse scampers over a mountain that mistakenly turns out to be none other than Lion – who decides that Mouse may make a tasty morsel. Mouse thinks quickly and convinces Lion that he is a loyal and brave mouse and that Lion might need him someday. Lion agrees and sends Mouse on his way. A year passes – Lion becomes trapped in a hunter’s net. Mouse comes to his rescue, using his teeth to chew apart the ropes and free Lion. Lion grants Mouse the liberty to climb every mountain in his kingdom.
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book
• The animals merely represent aspects of human nature. (p. 117)
Mouse & Lion cross paths quite by accident when Mouse scampered over Lion thinking Lion was a boulder. When Lion reacts by contemplating to eat Mouse, Mouse finds himself proving his bravery – telling Lion that he may need him someday. Lion just laughs. But in the end, Lion, who represents kingliness, and Mouse, who represents meekness, trade roles and it’s up to Mouse to save Lion.
• Because of their brevity, fables appear to be simple. However, they convey an abstract idea in relatively few words, and for that reason they are highly complex. (p. 117)
The moral of Mouse & Lion is to demonstrate that both Mouse & Lion learned kindness, loyalty, gratitude, and the importance of second chances.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Mouse & Lion is well-suited for its intended audience because it can teach young readers (or anyone) that no matter how small [fill-in the adjective] you may be, you can overcome obstacles and do great things. Hurray for all of us mice out there!
Awards if any
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc
ALA Notable Children's Books 2012
Library Media Connection 01/01/12
Booklist starred 12/01/11
New York Times 11/13/11
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 11/01/11
Publishers Weekly starred 08/22/11
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/11
Library Journal starred 08/01/11
Horn Book Magazine 04/01/12
Wilson's Children 10/01/12
Kirkus Reviews starred 09/01/11
November 6, 2011
When I first heard of another retelling of this Aesop fable, I wondered what could be contributed that hadn't yet been done. When Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert combine their talents, the answer is - plenty!
Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert, illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, is a retelling of the classic Aesop's fable, set in the area between Namibia and Botswana.
While Lion naps on a ridge above the Kalihari, Mouse bumbles into him,
startling him awake. After a show of teeth and the real threat of being eaten, Lion is amused and softened by Mouse's pledge of loyalty and sets him free. A year later, when a cold moon brings a humbling lesson, Lion comes to recognize Mouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.
Rand Burkert remakes this tale in an accessible manner for young readers, showing a very unlikely friendship forged between a tiny mouse and a regal lion. A large font makes this easier to read and adds a classic feel. In the afterward, the author of this retelling explains that mouse's traits earned the deep affection of all involved in this project, earning him top billing. A brief look at Aesop's tales regarding Lion identifies this tale as showing Lion at a midpoint: "not truly a despot, not truly a king."
Nancy Ekholm Burkert's beautiful illustrations feature soft colors and very exact details showing the illustrator's careful attention in portraying the four striped African mouse hero and its world. Lion is shown in both his regal glory and his royal rage. In her afterward, the illustrator explains the choice of the African mouse and gives credit to those who helped in her research. My favorite images include Lion dangling Mouse above his mouth, Lion offering Mouse his paw, Lion ensnared, Lion in the trap with Mouse speaking to him, Mouse and his family, and Lion dreaming of many small creatures.
This beautiful retelling of the Aesop fable, with Mouse receiving due credit, should receive many accolades and possible awards. It belongs alongside The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pnkney.
For ages 4 and up, fables, Aesop, lions, mice, loyalty, friendship, nature, and fans of Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert.
Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert, illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, is a retelling of the classic Aesop's fable, set in the area between Namibia and Botswana.
While Lion naps on a ridge above the Kalihari, Mouse bumbles into him,
startling him awake. After a show of teeth and the real threat of being eaten, Lion is amused and softened by Mouse's pledge of loyalty and sets him free. A year later, when a cold moon brings a humbling lesson, Lion comes to recognize Mouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.
Rand Burkert remakes this tale in an accessible manner for young readers, showing a very unlikely friendship forged between a tiny mouse and a regal lion. A large font makes this easier to read and adds a classic feel. In the afterward, the author of this retelling explains that mouse's traits earned the deep affection of all involved in this project, earning him top billing. A brief look at Aesop's tales regarding Lion identifies this tale as showing Lion at a midpoint: "not truly a despot, not truly a king."
Nancy Ekholm Burkert's beautiful illustrations feature soft colors and very exact details showing the illustrator's careful attention in portraying the four striped African mouse hero and its world. Lion is shown in both his regal glory and his royal rage. In her afterward, the illustrator explains the choice of the African mouse and gives credit to those who helped in her research. My favorite images include Lion dangling Mouse above his mouth, Lion offering Mouse his paw, Lion ensnared, Lion in the trap with Mouse speaking to him, Mouse and his family, and Lion dreaming of many small creatures.
This beautiful retelling of the Aesop fable, with Mouse receiving due credit, should receive many accolades and possible awards. It belongs alongside The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pnkney.
For ages 4 and up, fables, Aesop, lions, mice, loyalty, friendship, nature, and fans of Rand Burkert and Nancy Ekholm Burkert.
November 17, 2011
Review via Cracking the Cover
Aesop’s fable about a mouse and lion is one of the most beloved and most retold stories, the most recent of note being Jerry Pinkney’s “The Lion & the Mouse,” which won the Caldecott Medal.
Now, another Caldecott honoree, artist Nancy Ekholm Burkert, has taken on this fable with the help of writer Rand Burkert.
Set on the continent of Africa, in a relatively unexplored area bordered Botswana and Namibia, the story of “Mouse & Lion” unfolds.
One day, as Mouse is hurrying home, he scampers over a boulder that’s not really a boulder. Mouse inadvertently wakes up King Lion who promises to eat Mouse in punishment of his blunder. As Lion swings Mouse closer and closer to his jaws, Mouse finds favor with the king and promises loyalty. The Lion laughs at Mouse’s bravery and sends him on his way.
A year passes, and Lion has quite forgotten the tiny Mouse and his pledge. But as the Lion stumbles into a trap set by hunters, he suddenly finds himself in need of a small friend. Mouse comes across Lion, who has been swept up in a net, and sets to work with his teeth nibbling through the rope and freeing his friend.
In this version of Aesop’s tale, Mouse rather than Lion takes center stage. Mouse’s bravery and ingenuity not only save the day; they leave Lion with a new appreciation of small things. It’s fun to see Mouse’s personality take shape as he talks his way out of being eaten.
The accompanying illustrations are beautiful. Nancy’s drawings are so intricate and detailed that one almost feels as if they are seeing Mouse and Lion in real life.
While Pinkney’s version of the tale is bold and brilliant in color, the Burkert’s version is more muted and has an understated tone. Both books are beautiful and both hold their own, making either, or both, a great addition to your collection.
Aesop’s fable about a mouse and lion is one of the most beloved and most retold stories, the most recent of note being Jerry Pinkney’s “The Lion & the Mouse,” which won the Caldecott Medal.
Now, another Caldecott honoree, artist Nancy Ekholm Burkert, has taken on this fable with the help of writer Rand Burkert.
Set on the continent of Africa, in a relatively unexplored area bordered Botswana and Namibia, the story of “Mouse & Lion” unfolds.
One day, as Mouse is hurrying home, he scampers over a boulder that’s not really a boulder. Mouse inadvertently wakes up King Lion who promises to eat Mouse in punishment of his blunder. As Lion swings Mouse closer and closer to his jaws, Mouse finds favor with the king and promises loyalty. The Lion laughs at Mouse’s bravery and sends him on his way.
A year passes, and Lion has quite forgotten the tiny Mouse and his pledge. But as the Lion stumbles into a trap set by hunters, he suddenly finds himself in need of a small friend. Mouse comes across Lion, who has been swept up in a net, and sets to work with his teeth nibbling through the rope and freeing his friend.
In this version of Aesop’s tale, Mouse rather than Lion takes center stage. Mouse’s bravery and ingenuity not only save the day; they leave Lion with a new appreciation of small things. It’s fun to see Mouse’s personality take shape as he talks his way out of being eaten.
The accompanying illustrations are beautiful. Nancy’s drawings are so intricate and detailed that one almost feels as if they are seeing Mouse and Lion in real life.
While Pinkney’s version of the tale is bold and brilliant in color, the Burkert’s version is more muted and has an understated tone. Both books are beautiful and both hold their own, making either, or both, a great addition to your collection.
September 23, 2012
Mouse and Lion is Rand Burkert’s retelling of Aesop’s famous fable. While hurrying home, small Mouse walks over what he believes to be a mountain. Instead it is a sleeping Lion who awakens angrily. Lion contemplates eating Mouse, but after Mouse shows his skills of jumping and a promise of loyalty, Lion lets Mouse go. A long while passes without any interaction between our two characters. One day Lion is caught in a human trap. Mouse finds him sad and defeated and, remembering his promise, Mouse helps Lion free.
The audience of this story can be most elementary grades because of its universal message of unlikely friendships and the skills of the perceived weak. I would use this in a fifth grade classroom because of the detailed, realistic illustrations. Older students would be drawn to how the story does not look like a typical children’s story. Also, with the history and details of the location of the story, more can be taken from it. The way I would use this story in my classroom would be in a unit about the genre “fables.” After reading the story, we would have a discussion about the message of the story. Fifth grade students would write notes on each story in their notebooks to remind them later. Students would, in groups of 3-4, pick one of the fables I presented over a week and would write a modern adaptation to the story with their group. When completed, we would share the stories with the class.
November 11, 2012
Grade/interest level: preK-3rd
Reading level: 570L
Genre: Fable
Main Characters: Mouse and Lion
Setting: African wild
POV: Narrator
Summary:
This book is an adaptation of an Aesop's Fable. In this book the two characters are a small mouse and a regal lion. In the introductory event, the mouse is first caught by the lion when he mistakes the lion for a mountain to climb over. The mouse talks his way out of being eaten by showing bravery and promising the king lion that he will someday be of service to the lion. The lion is entertained by the mouse thinking he, the great lion, will ever need the help of a little mouse. When the lion is one day trapped in a net set by the humans, mouse hurries to his rescue. Mouse uses his teeth to free the lion. They live in peace with one another the rest of their days.
Classroom Use:
I would use this book to remind young students that just because they are small, does not mean they can't be helpful and make a difference. I feel the way this book is written makes it only appropriate for young children, but I feel a more adult version of this could be used to remind students that even the least likely pair can form a mutually beneficial relationship.
Reading level: 570L
Genre: Fable
Main Characters: Mouse and Lion
Setting: African wild
POV: Narrator
Summary:
This book is an adaptation of an Aesop's Fable. In this book the two characters are a small mouse and a regal lion. In the introductory event, the mouse is first caught by the lion when he mistakes the lion for a mountain to climb over. The mouse talks his way out of being eaten by showing bravery and promising the king lion that he will someday be of service to the lion. The lion is entertained by the mouse thinking he, the great lion, will ever need the help of a little mouse. When the lion is one day trapped in a net set by the humans, mouse hurries to his rescue. Mouse uses his teeth to free the lion. They live in peace with one another the rest of their days.
Classroom Use:
I would use this book to remind young students that just because they are small, does not mean they can't be helpful and make a difference. I feel the way this book is written makes it only appropriate for young children, but I feel a more adult version of this could be used to remind students that even the least likely pair can form a mutually beneficial relationship.
February 23, 2014
Burkert, R., & Burkert, N. E. (2011). Mouse & lion. New York, NY : Scholastic.
Characters: The Mouse and the King Lion
Setting: The Kalahari Desert.
Themes: Favors, Humanity, Friendship
Genre: CSULB ETEC 545 Class 3, ETEC 545 Fable Story, Fables, Picture Book
Summary: In the Kalahari Desert, the Mouse scurries over what it thinks is a boulder, but turns out to be the back of the King Lion. He traps the Mouse and threatens his life, holding in his claws, dangling over his teeth. The Mouse, showing bravery, forces compassion from the King Lion with a promise that setting him free might come in handy one day in the future. This comes to fruition, as the Mouse saves King Lion from a hunter’s trap.
Target Audience: Early Elementary, Grades K-2
Curriculum Ties: Friendship, Kindness, Debt, Favors, World Roles
Personal response: I was familiar with award winning, The Lion and the Mouse from Pinkney, and was interested what route in interpretation this story took. Nancy Burkert’s illustrations are fantastic. They really brought to life the struggle of the mouse, and the context of the classic fable.
Characters: The Mouse and the King Lion
Setting: The Kalahari Desert.
Themes: Favors, Humanity, Friendship
Genre: CSULB ETEC 545 Class 3, ETEC 545 Fable Story, Fables, Picture Book
Summary: In the Kalahari Desert, the Mouse scurries over what it thinks is a boulder, but turns out to be the back of the King Lion. He traps the Mouse and threatens his life, holding in his claws, dangling over his teeth. The Mouse, showing bravery, forces compassion from the King Lion with a promise that setting him free might come in handy one day in the future. This comes to fruition, as the Mouse saves King Lion from a hunter’s trap.
Target Audience: Early Elementary, Grades K-2
Curriculum Ties: Friendship, Kindness, Debt, Favors, World Roles
Personal response: I was familiar with award winning, The Lion and the Mouse from Pinkney, and was interested what route in interpretation this story took. Nancy Burkert’s illustrations are fantastic. They really brought to life the struggle of the mouse, and the context of the classic fable.
September 25, 2014
This book teaches a very good lesson to readers about bravery, gratitude and giving people a second chance. A mouse comes across a lion and disturbs him. The lion almost eats the mouse, but ends up letting him go free because the mouse says that he may be very helpful to the lion one day. It turns out, he is right.
"Mouse and Lion" is very well illustrated, with each picture being very realistic and lifelike. My favorite picture is of the sunset and a big tree right in the middle of it. This picture uses both sides of the page and is therefore huge and vibrant. It makes you feel as though you are actually there.
This book not only has wonderful illustrations but has a wonderful lesson intermingled in the great story. I have always loved animals, and I really enjoy books where the animals are the main characters. I feel like it adds a whole other dimension to the story.
I chose this book as my read aloud because I love the story so much and because the pictures are so wonderful. If you are going to read a book aloud to your class, it needs to have large, vibrant pictures and a great story. Also, since the main characters are animals, I think it will make children like it more. All children like to hear about animals!
"Mouse and Lion" is very well illustrated, with each picture being very realistic and lifelike. My favorite picture is of the sunset and a big tree right in the middle of it. This picture uses both sides of the page and is therefore huge and vibrant. It makes you feel as though you are actually there.
This book not only has wonderful illustrations but has a wonderful lesson intermingled in the great story. I have always loved animals, and I really enjoy books where the animals are the main characters. I feel like it adds a whole other dimension to the story.
I chose this book as my read aloud because I love the story so much and because the pictures are so wonderful. If you are going to read a book aloud to your class, it needs to have large, vibrant pictures and a great story. Also, since the main characters are animals, I think it will make children like it more. All children like to hear about animals!
December 29, 2018
A retelling of Aesop's The Lion and the Mouse. Very careful attention paid to the setting and animals. Very nice illustrations.
June 22, 2016
Mouse & Lion by Rand Burkert, illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, is a retelling of the classic Aesop's fable, set in the area between Namibia and Botswana. The illustrations are absolutely stunning! They appear to all be done in colored pencil with painstaking detail on all of the animals. The lion for example, each hair in his mane is penciled in; the same for the mouse's fur. Nancy Ekholm Burkert is obviously an extremely talented artist. The story itself is one that is well known but this book tells it just a little different. The last time I read this story the mouse pulled a thorn from the lions paw, in this one the mouse frees the lion from a net he had become ensnared in. So little differences, but the messages are still the same. This story is great for teaching kids about bravery, second chances, trust, kindness to others, and helping those in need. So many great messages in one story. Over all its a beautiful book and a wonderful story well worth reading.
November 29, 2012
This is a story that will really tug at your heart strings. I love that the little guy saves the great King Lion and proves his worth in the kingdom. This seems cliché to me know, but I do think this is a great theme for children. They are smaller than adults, but that is not to mean that they have less worth than the rest of humanity in the kingdom. It has this hope for the readers and for all people who consider themselves the mice in the story. Also, for those readers who see themselves as the lion, there is definitely a lesson here. Those readers can learn never to underestimate the power of your friends or those who you would quickly count out. Who knows? You may be in need of a very small pair of teeth at any moment. I think this has an important emphasis on friendships across people.
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May 1, 2014Rand Burkert’s Mouse & Lion is a rendition of Aesop’s The Lion and the Mouse. The story is about Mouse and Lion’s relationship in the Kalahari. Mouse accidentally bumps into Lion while he is napping and awakens him. Lion is very angry with Mouse, but sets him free after Mouse’s pledge of loyalty. Mouse ends up saving Lion, and Lion learns to appreciate Mouse’s keen skill and kindness.
Mouse & Lion displays several different characteristics of a traditional literature book. First, this book is a fable which is a characteristic of traditional literature. Second, the characters in this book are talking animals that possess human traits. Lastly, this book has a very strong moral lesson. This book is a good text to use when teaching students about kindness, compassion, and loyalty. Furthermore, this captivating story is great for kindergarten through third graders.
Mouse & Lion displays several different characteristics of a traditional literature book. First, this book is a fable which is a characteristic of traditional literature. Second, the characters in this book are talking animals that possess human traits. Lastly, this book has a very strong moral lesson. This book is a good text to use when teaching students about kindness, compassion, and loyalty. Furthermore, this captivating story is great for kindergarten through third graders.
May 8, 2018
Copyright: 2011
Number of pages: 32
Book format: print
Reading level: pre-k-3; Lexile measure: AD570L
Genre: fiction
Lit requirement: fable
Mouse and Lion is a fable that tells the story of King Lion and the peasant Mouse. One day, Mouse scampers over King Lion as he mistakes him for a mountain. As he goes to eat Mouse, Mouse pleads and says that he may need his help sometime in the future. He lets Mouse go, but is certain he will not need his assistance. Years later, King Lion finds himself in a bind. Will Mouse come to his rescue?
This fable is a good choice to read to young students because it gives the lesson that those you least expect can help you the most. The illustrations show the emotions of the both characters when they face trouble as well as when they find relief, so readers may be able to relate to it. For these reasons I gave this book four stars.
Number of pages: 32
Book format: print
Reading level: pre-k-3; Lexile measure: AD570L
Genre: fiction
Lit requirement: fable
Mouse and Lion is a fable that tells the story of King Lion and the peasant Mouse. One day, Mouse scampers over King Lion as he mistakes him for a mountain. As he goes to eat Mouse, Mouse pleads and says that he may need his help sometime in the future. He lets Mouse go, but is certain he will not need his assistance. Years later, King Lion finds himself in a bind. Will Mouse come to his rescue?
This fable is a good choice to read to young students because it gives the lesson that those you least expect can help you the most. The illustrations show the emotions of the both characters when they face trouble as well as when they find relief, so readers may be able to relate to it. For these reasons I gave this book four stars.
November 18, 2011
This classic Aesop fable is told with exceptional ease. The story focuses more on Mouse than other versions, even giving him top billing in the title. Mouse scampers right over Lion before he even realizes he is not a mountain. And as the tale goes, Lion grants Mouse a reprieve from being eaten and sends him on his way. In this story, Lion is captured in a hunter’s net and Mouse gnaws him free. Set in Africa, this story features a four-striped African grass mouse rather than the expected little brown mouse. Combined with the baobab trees, it all works to evoke Africa completely.
See the rest of the review at Waking Brain Cells
See the rest of the review at Waking Brain Cells
October 7, 2011
The title of this book lets readers know on whom the story's focus will be in this retelling of the classic Aesop's fable set in the area between Namibia and Botswana. A four-striped African grass mouse accidentally climbs over a lion because he thinks the slumbering beast is a mountain. Amused by the mouse's antics and personality, the Lion lets him go free. A year later, the Lion accidentally is ensnared in a net, and the Mouse uses his teeth to bite through the snare. In appreciation, the Lion savors the smaller things in his life, including the Mouse. The illustrations are filled with soft colors and an attention to detail that shows the illustrator's careful observation of the world these animals inhabit. Pair this with The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney.
December 4, 2011
Another tale of Aesop and the tale of how the animals can help each other and show compassion. Best for grades 2nd and up. It is a bit long for K-1. This one would be a nice pair to Pinkney's Lion and Mouse. I liked the retelling with a different twist to it. I enjoyed the end note about the author and illustrator going to Africa to do research and telling more about each of the animals and the setting of the story.
A good addition to my collection.
PW's Best Children's Books 2011
The Lion & the Mouse
A good addition to my collection.
PW's Best Children's Books 2011
The Lion & the Mouse
March 2, 2012
I always thought the Mouse had the larger role in this story...although most titles reflect Royalty before Subjects...
The Mouse in this story has racing stripes -- it looks like a chipmunk -- but apparently "Rhahdomys pumilio" is an African species (you can visit a colony at the Bronx Zoo, if you are interested!). He shows a healthy respect/caution for the Lion (I like that he backs away without shaking or kissing the extended Royal's paw...)
Sure to be compared to Pinkney's Caldecott winning version of Aesop's famous fable. I'd love to hear a recording of the Berkerts' book read by James Earl Jones...
The Mouse in this story has racing stripes -- it looks like a chipmunk -- but apparently "Rhahdomys pumilio" is an African species (you can visit a colony at the Bronx Zoo, if you are interested!). He shows a healthy respect/caution for the Lion (I like that he backs away without shaking or kissing the extended Royal's paw...)
Sure to be compared to Pinkney's Caldecott winning version of Aesop's famous fable. I'd love to hear a recording of the Berkerts' book read by James Earl Jones...
July 30, 2014
This is an amazingly beautiful retelling of Aesop's famous tale reminding us that even the smallest among us have value…The breathtaking, detailed illustrations are filled with authentic natural detail - in addition to wonderful, lifelike renderings of mouse and lion there are beautiful flowers, grasses, and even amazing rocks. The text is very readable and contains everyday language that even young kids will recognize and be able to identify with. This was a big hit with my story time audience, and has become one of my favorite retellings of this classic tale.
December 7, 2014
This is an interesting story about how the lion is trying to get the mouse. The mouse almost gets eaten a couple of times, but the lion gets caught in a net. Though the mouse nibbles on the rope to help the lion. The illustrations are amazing because it shows the mouse biting on the rope in multiple ways (almost in a shadow) until it is broken and the lion is free. Through this the lion started to enjoy the small things in life. The ending illustration is where the lions face starts to fade and has a whole bunch of different animals on the side. There is a review at the end of the book.
June 30, 2011
A visual feast for the eyes in the simple retelling of a beloved Aesop fable. The artwork is a thing of beauty, displaying the timeless talents of Nancy Ekholm Burkert, a style reminiscent of detailed animal sketches. Rand Burkert retools this story in away that is accessible for young readers, watching an unlikely friendship forge between a tiny mouse and a regal lion. Recommended for ages four and up.
February 11, 2012
Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse is still my favorite, but this is a beautiful book too and a bit easier to read aloud than Pinkney's wordless book. The illustrations are very quiet and subdued--there's a lot of white space in this book, which is nice because it makes you notice how beautiful the paper is. You'll love feeling the texture of the paper too. It feels very rich.
November 23, 2011
A wonderful re-telling of the classic Aesop Fable- Lion & the Mouse story. I enjoyed this beautifully illustrated story, as Rand pays tribute to the courageous, little mouse. This story proves that no matter how big or little you are, you can do anything you set your mind to as long as you're brave enough to try.
January 5, 2012
I once heard this tale told by Diane Ferlatte, a great storyteller, and have told it myself. It's a little different than what I've told, but that is part of the delight of old, old tales. This telling is solid, not too many words and soft, pretty illustrations. I would have given it higher stars if it had been more lilting prose, or a more engaging read-aloud: repetitive text perhaps?
January 22, 2012
I've seen many versions of this popular fable brought to life, but this is now one of my favorites. The illustrations are BEAUTIFUL, and the storytelling is very well done. I also love how the author chose to give the character of Mouse top-billing for a change, 'since he does the most work in the story.' :)
April 12, 2012
This is a gorgeous retelling of the classic Aesop fable. The illustrations and overall design are the highlight; finely-detailed colored pencil and watercolor pictures put us close-up to "King Lion" and the mouse and also zoom out to show the African landscape. Embellishments to the original text make sense and do not distract from the story. The moral is not included but implied.
June 15, 2013
I liked this retelling of Aesop's Lion and Mouse fable and the illustrations were nicely done. This story is good for showing children to appreciate the small things, to be kind to those that are smaller or seem "less" to them, and to never discount the talents of others. However, even with all this, the book didn't wow me and I'm not sure why I didn't like it more.
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October 9, 2013After an encounter with a lion, a mouse later proves to that lion how brave he is by saving the lion from hunters. I felt that this book has a great lesson to it. I loved that the mouse saved the lion in the end. The illustrations were light and reminded me of a canvas. I would use this book during a unit on fables and perhaps have the students come up with their own version of Mouse & Lion.
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