Mouse Bird Snake Wolf

by David Almond

The imagination of three children takes on unexpected life in a creation tale from the dream team of David Almond and Dave McKean.

The gods have created a world that is safe and calm and rather wonderful. They have built mountains, forests, and seas and filled the world with animals, people, and unnamed beasts. Now their days are fat with long naps in the clouds, mutual admiration, and tea and cake. But their world has gaps in it filled with emptiness, gaps that intrigue Harry, Sue, and little Ben until they begin to see what might fill them. One by one the children conjure, from twigs and leaves and stones, a mousy thing, a chirpy thing, and a twisty legless thing. But as the children’s ideas grow bolder, the power of their visions proves greater and more dangerous than they, or the gods, could ever have imagined. Is it possible to unmake what’s been made?

Genres: Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Picture Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction, Mythology

80 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

David Almond is a British children's writer who has penned several novels, each one to critical acclaim. He was born and raised in Felling and Newcastle in post-industrial North East England and educated at the University of East Anglia. When he was young, he found his love of writing when some short stories of his were published in a local magazine. He started out as an author of adult fiction before finding his niche writing literature for young adults.

His first children's novel, Skellig (1998), set in Newcastle, won the Whitbread Children's Novel of the Year Award and also the Carnegie Medal. His subsequent novels are: Kit's Wilderness (1999), Heaven Eyes (2000), Secret Heart (2001), The Fire Eaters (2003) and Clay (2005). His first play aimed at adolescents, Wild Girl, Wild Boy, toured in 2001 and was published in 2002.

His works are highly philosophical and thus appeal to children and adults alike. Recurring themes throughout include the complex relationships between apparent opposites (such as life and death, reality and fiction, past and future); forms of education; growing up and adapting to change; the nature of 'the self'. He has been greatly influenced by the works of the English Romantic poet William Blake.

He is an author often suggested on National Curriculum reading lists in the United Kingdom and has attracted the attention of academics who specialise in the study of children's literature.

Almond currently lives with his family in Northumberland, England.

Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing (2010).

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Shows the power of creativity in each child and individual - both darling and terrifying. Almond is not afraid of primal darkness, especially admirable as he is a children's writer.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part picture-book, part graphic novel, this lovely little volume from British author/illustrator team David Almond and Dave McKean imagines a world whose creation is incomplete. A lazy pantheon of gods lounges about on the clouds, admiring what they have created, while empty places exist in the world down below. Three children - Harry, Sue and Ben - take a hand at completing their world, each of them creating a new creature: Ben a mouse, Sue a bird, and Harry a snake. Their last creation however - a wolf - proves rather problematic, as he swallows Harry and Sue whole, leaving it to Ben to un-create him. Things are not so simple however, and the narrative concludes with a hint that the wolf won't stay un-created for long...

Almond and McKean have teamed up on other titles - The Savage , Slog's Dad - but Mouse Bird Snake Wolf is the first of their joint projects I have picked up. I am so glad I did, as I found it quite a thought-provoking little book. The writing is spare but powerful, the artwork intense and compelling, the final product an interesting meditation on the nature of creation. Is it complete? (obviously not in this world). Do we (human beings) have a role to play, in completing it? What is creation? And can things be unmade, once they are made? What is the relationship between the divine and the human? Between the creator and the created? Does the creator become his creation? These are all questions raised by the story here, remaining open-ended, as they should. The only thing here I didn't like, was the use of the figure of the wolf, as these creatures are so often (unjustly) vilified in story, standing in for our fears about the natural world. Of course, one could argue that since the wolf comes from a human figure in the story, its negative connotations are brought to life by humanity, rather than by any innate wolfiness, but again, the narrative here complicates ideas of creator/creation. Recommended to readers looking for more philosophical children's books.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical strange story by David Almond accompanied by typical quirky Dave McKean art. As a librarian, I don't see myself recommending this to anyone.

[Alex Sarll]

In a world whose fabulously luvvie deities have left creation unfinished, three children decide to fill in some of the blank spaces. And at first, as they make cute little things their world has never seen before, it seems like a charming parable of creativity, an incitement to go put new things out there. But...well, look at the title. Soon they learn that not everything inside our heads can be trusted once it's manifested - and we already know that McKean can do wonderfully primal and fearsome wolves. There's a get-out of sorts, because it's a book for children, but not an altogether one, because there are limits to the lies one should tell children. Which makes for a far truer tale, but also one less likely to encourage sprogs to get artistic in the ways adult purchasers might hope. On the other hand, if that means fewer rubbish pictures on fridges, maybe that's for the best.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant, original, intense. A fable for all ages... but only for certain readers.
I did not enjoy it. But I admire it exceedingly.

And yes, imo the art is ugly, but it's absolutely apt. I cannot imagine any other artist making Almond's story come alive the way McKean did. If you don't like ugly pictures, see if you can find someone to read just the text to you. The only thing you'll miss is the concept of the creatures coming alive from ideas inside the creators' heads.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale told through the words and pictures of the amazing team of David Almond and David McKean, exponentially more powerful when text and illustrations explode on the page, can't be quickly set aside: the images are heady, the cautionary tale haunting. Heady, as in they remain in your head; haunting as you may dream about this story. This brief story made me want to return to the classroom, share the story with pre-teens, and just sit back and listen to their spin on the tale.

Three children one afternoon decide that the half-finished "world" the gods have created is somewhat lacking so each child creates a new animal - mouse, bird, and snake - to add to their world. The fat lazy gods barely stir at this invasion, too busy congratulating themselves on all they have accomplished thus far. Emboldened by their creativity the two older children decide to make a wolf that "howls really loud, runs really fast, but is scary.... and dangerous." The result has fatal consequences.

I can't do justice to this fabulous tale in a brief hobby-review (the Indulgence of Goodreads). Suffice it to say: for me, a must read.

[Nick Swarbrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being a short (-ish) book I read this in four sittings, one for each of the creatures (mouse, bird, snake, wolf) the children create when the gods aren’t paying attention. It deserves to be savoured. The gods, lolling monochrome in the clouds are drawn by McKean as overweight, self indulgent Olympians, sketchy presences but corporeal nonetheless: armpits and wrinkly fingers. The children are agile, engaged, sketched in colour. The design from photographed cut out pages through to the double-spread of a ravening wolf is arresting, funny, scary...
Part creation myth, part psycho-drama (we might ask if all myths haven’t got a psychodramatic element) we watch as wide-eyed young Ben thinks up and creates a mouse and grinning, inventive Sue follows this with a bird and older boy Harry (beautifully drawn, all Adam’s Apple and elbows) calls a snake into being. The trajectory Almond gives leaves us in no doubt that the next stage will not go well. The languid, disconnected adults - the gods, lolling in bed - mutter warnings but it is up to the children to solve the issue of the Wolf. Capital W: this is a savage idea in the hearts of humans and their gods.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading David Almond's novels Skellig and Kit's Wilderness were such amazing experiences, I had very high expectations for Mouse Bird Snake Wolf, especially adding Dave McKean's art to the mix. The book is a beautifully illustrated fable/fantasy, but might be a bit disturbing and scary for younger readers. Almond leaves a lot of questions unanswered, which is one of the hallmarks of his books, along with not shying away from sometimes being disturbing. Yet at the end, young readers may not sure about some of the things they probably need to be sure about in order to enjoy and better understand the story.

[Kerfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is supposed to be an allegory for humans assuming a god-like omnipotence and creating things they can't control, things that take on their own power and life and fill the world with evil.

Neither gods, nor humans, nor animals come off particularly well.

And BTW, why does the creation of the wolf embody evil?

I don't know...is Almond asking the gods to control things, direct things, more than they seem to do in real life? Is he saying humans shouldn't dream or create or explore? And is good and evil always so easily or clearly defined? Maybe the natural world just is.

I didn't much like McKean's illustrations either. Too cartoony--not magical at all.

There are some ideas here to make a book, but they aren't realized by either Almond or McKean.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Almond's stories never have anticipated endings - or middles. They are fairy tales with that dangerous edge that traditional tales all have.

So, take warning

I liken this tale to Wolves by Emily Gravett

Overly sensitive children will be shocked - for 1 page - and relieved on the next.

Be brave

The apathy of the gods is scarier than the wolf .......

[Laura McFarland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super quick read - a graphic novel I picked up from the library because I recognised the illustrator from Grant Morrison's Batman: Arkham Asylum. The art in this was gorgeous and it was a fun sweet story about imagination and creation. But it was so short and quick I'm not sure it will stay with me and did't hold much substance, but it was sweet and I would recommend it!

[Michelle (Fluttering Butterflies)]

What a lovely little book. I read this one at my local library in a very short period of time. I'll go back again to reread it and to gaze again on the gorgeous illustrations...

I really do love the combined genius of David Almond and Dave McKean!

[Ellie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a thought-provoking story that puts a twist on the creation story. In this twist, the gods who created the world have become lazy and arrogant, believing their work to be incomparably perfect. However, because of their ignorant attitude the world is unfinished, and the gaps begin to be filled by children who have developed the power to create. Whilst it begins successfully, the children overstep their place in the natural order, as one of their creations goes horribly wrong.
This was a really rich story that definitely makes you think, and leaves you wondering for a long time after reading. In terms of the messages that it carries, the text would be excellent to use within philosophy for children. I was left buzzing with questions, wondering if the story was a warning about the dangers of trying to over-reach the gods and whether the children's creations a mirror of who they are inside or merely a punishment. There is definitely a debate to be had about who was at fault for the 'evil' released upon the world.

[marko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tek nakon što sam završio čitanje ove knjige sam shvatio koji je pisac u pitanju - Dejvid Almond, čiju sam knjigu “The Colour of the Sun” čitao ove godine i za koju i dalje smatram da je jedna od najlošijih i najbesmislenijih knjiga ikada napisanih. Da sam sabrao dva sa dva, “Miš, ptica, zmija, vuk” se nikada ne bi našla u mojim rukama, jer mi je Dejvid ovom prilikom samo učvrstio mišljenje o njegovim knjigama/romanima. Potpuno su besmisleni i ne nose nikakvu poruku iako se Dejvid svim srcem trudi da zvuči bitno i pametno. Sva sreća te je ova knjižica bila kratka i obogaćena pre-le-pim ilustracijama, te zbog njih nemam srca da je ocenim sa 1/5…

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This creation tales was curious. More powerful were the illustrations by Dave McKean which went the gamut from grotesque to inventive.

I don’t think that this book is for everyone, but could generate interesting conversations with MS students.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic work between Almond and McKean. I would love to read this with my students along with The Wolves in the Wall and do a comparison.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulously unnerving and unique, this reads like an ancient fable despite being so young! Brilliant stuff and gorgeously illustrated.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the gods rest on their laurels, having created many wonderful things on the Earth, three children dream of other delights that haven't yet been created. Summoning the power of the gods within them, Little Ben brings to life a mouse, Sue creates a bird, and Harry fashions a snake. For the most part, the gods ignore their efforts since they are too busy eating and sleeping. But when Sue and Harry manage to bring forth a wolf, the consequences are deadly, and it's up to Little Ben to set things right again. The mixed media illustrations take the starring role here, filled with sumptuous, imaginative images that entice readers while the story itself is interesting, to say the least. I'm still not clear how the three children came to have the power to create these creatures when no one else apparently could.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world very much like our own, the gods have created "a marvelous place filled with marvelous things." Except once they started, they didn't quite finish and left the world with gaps. When Harry, Sue, and Little Ben begin exploring one afternoon, Little Ben realizes that he can visualize what should be in the gaps. With a bit of this and that, he creates something mousy that scampers -- a mouse. Then Sue creates a bird and Harry creates a snake. Finally, Harry and Sue create a wolf and are promptly, and much to my delight, eaten up. Little Ben uncreates the wolf and the three of them learn their lesson about creating from their imagination.

Recommended for upper elementary and middle school, this inventive story about creations and the beginning of the world will surely provoke thought with students.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could be adapted wonderfully into a telling, for those who love the art of storytelling!

The Gods have grown self-congratulatory and lazy and have left their marvelous world with empty spaces small and large. Little Ben, Sue and Harry are wandering through the world when Little Ben decides that what the world needs is something... mousy. Some squeaky, scampering thing. And he puts together a little model of a mouse and encourages it to squeak and scamper and it comes to life from the twigs and leaves that Little Ben has gathered.

Of course, Sue and Harry want to try as well, but will the Gods find their acts presumptuous? Maybe even, dangerous?

Dave McKean delivers his usual amazing art and David Almond has written a story that could be read (or told!) over and over.

And watch out for the wolf!

[Jazz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm having a hard time with this story. The art is beautiful, as is expected of Dave McKean, but the story is troubling. Rash decisions lead to awful consequences that are literally erased. Imagination is seen as dangerous to those who dare to use it, and those who have the right to use it (the gods) are too lazy and full of themselves to do so. It disturbs me that the suggestion that gods are the only ones responsible enough to create and imagine is reinforced by the story's end. It does imply the children will create again, but it has a highly negative connotation.

[Olagia.Trinia · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Almond
Mouse Bird Snake Wolf

Plot
This is an unusual story because it involves a variety of gods and goddesses who created our world. It appears that they have created humans and animals, but it also appears that they haven't finished because they are still praising themselves and chatting with other gods about it. Additionally, they constantly eat cake and drink tea and only go to sleep when they appear exhausted or worn out.

However, the three children of the deity who created humanity are simply playing and wondering constantly about their world, which contains some empty emptiness space wherever they walk.
Because it appeared that the gods were still pondering what to add to the universe, it was as though this time period did not exist in the narrative. As a result, I believe that time has passed for all eternity or for many years, but there is no indication of when it did so.

Because the narrative is extremely metaphoric of how the children go about living their everyday lives in an incomplete world that the gods created, the novel starts off in a strange, eerie tone.
The story's events build upon one another as children—possibly gods—wonder and express their desire to make anything in an unfinished world and use their creativity to create something from nothing.

Characters
Little Ben seems to be the primary character more than the other two kids, yet all three of them embark on an adventure to learn things by utilizing their imaginations.
as artistry and awareness, in my opinion.
The two kids with the names Harry and Sue, as well as maybe the other gods, are the other characters.
They were briefly discussed by the author. For instance, the three kids have no backstory and nothing to do because they're just kids playing around. It's also not common for them to go without food or get dirty frequently because they were made by gods who haven't finished creating the world.
There isn't a single character in the novel that I particularly enjoy because they don't have any past character development, and the narrative just depicts them as curious kids exploring the vacuum universe while appreciating the gorgeous environment around them.
The gods are a character that irritates me because they basically sit around contemplating and enjoying their creation, while other gods are floating around on the clouds, eating, drinking, and sleeping nonstop. They also let the world function on its own.

Due to the fact that this is a children's novel, there isn't any romance in the plot, but the three youngsters do have a friendship. But what about the gods, I wonder?
The little child named Ben is one of the characters who changed during the narrative since he was the one who first began to imagine and wonder how it may feel terrible to add strange creatures to the world. And possibly the two kids who were instructed by Little Ben to use their imaginations to create an animal ran wild with it without thinking it through and came up with dangerous animals that hurt and killed them. This made them reflect more on what had happened to them and reconsider what they had just created, which caused them to alter their characters more at the conclusion of the story.
Comments on style
In the third person, the narrative is written. This is significant to the narrative because it teaches kids that while it's fine to create their own worlds and envision what they may look like, they must also consider the potential risks of their actions before taking any steps that could harm their surroundings.

The world is really artistically rendered; however, there are certain voids that haven't been filled in the globe, so it might have used a little background setting for the plot.
It was a bad narrative for me since there wasn't much description in it, and it was also extremely short. I found the story to be a bit repetitive, but it would be fascinating for young readers and anybody else who read it, regardless of age.
I don't see the need to modify anything in the tale since it has metaphorical artwork pieces by an artist like an art piercing, and the drawing and the story sound like art.

General
I believe the author intended to convey this tale in order to offer youngsters some artistic fiction and a straightforward plot, but he also collaborated with an illustrator to make the tale as engaging and replicable for young readers as possible.

It's important to note that the book is engaging, but for me, it's highly artistic and metaphorical, and the artwork style isn't working for me again. Still, anyone may find it appealing or unappealing.
This book is solely meant for younger readers; therefore, I wouldn't advise someone who is more experienced or older to read it.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This new myth is a tale of gods asleep in the clouds, leaving the world unfinished. There are gaps that need filling. So three children, Sue, Harry and younger Ben decide to do something about it. They start small with a mouse - made from petals and nuts. Then Sue's creation is a bird from sticks, leaves and grass. More creatures are created, but with terrifying results.
David Kean's illustrations are stunning.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright. Nothing was really resolved. There was creating done by the children and then uncreating when they realized their mistake . I wasn't a huge fan of the art work and I think some of the art was a little too scary for younger children, even though it is a short graphic novel.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!
What a book! At first I thought this book was a bit ‘odd’ but oh how wrong I was.
There are so many themes running through this text that can be delved into.
I loved the creative nature of the characters, giving the reader the chance to think about what they would do in their shoes. Makes you think about the power of laziness!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing God can be dangerous. Ethereal and compelling.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very strange and not to my liking.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking and memorable.

[Jody Lewandowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

The creation story itself was OK. The illustrations put me off - so much so that I don't like this book at all. I don't know who I would recommend it to or who would read it. Ugh.

[Malena Seb · Rating 5 out of 5]

10000/10000