The Lion and The Mouse

Author:  Jerry Pinkney, 2009, Little, Brown & Co.
Traditional Literature

Take a timeless fable, put a new spin on it, and tell it without using words.  That is essentially what Jerry Pinkney did with The Lion and The Mouse.  A mouse happens upon a lion one day, and in a great show of compassion, the lion lets the mouse go free.  Later on, when the lion is captured in a poacher's net, the mouse hears his cries, finds him, and nibbles through the thick cords to free his lion friend.  The moral of this story, in Pinkney's words, is that the meek sometimes trump the mighty.

I read this story in my children's literature class recently, so some discussions in our class lent insight into the differences between this modern version and the original tale.  Some of my classmates have read a version in which the lion gets a thorn in his paw and the mouse frees him.  Regardless of the differences, Pinkney brings this piece of traditional literature to life with his rich watercolor drawings and word-less pages.  The reader is forced to use his imagination to pull the pillars of the story together in his mind.  I am always in awe of Jerry Pinkney's illustrations, and this book certainly does not disappoint me.  Allow your students to draw upon their prior knowledge of the story (if they have heard it before), and open the classroom to a discussion of differences between the two (or more) versions.  It is a great way to appreciate rich artwork, and in the meantime, to apply a moral standard to real-life situations.     

Owen

Author:  Kevin Henkes, 1993, Greenwillow Books

For my children's literature class this week, I am required to read five picture books.  As you can see from my recent posts, I tend to rate picture books very highly because they are so enjoyable to read.  So now, I present to you one of the best picture books ever written:  Owen.  I know by now you have looked at the copyright date and thought 1993 was ages ago, but that is beside the point.  Owen was one of my favorite books when I was a child, and it remains at that status 20 years later.  It is a story about a little mouse who loves carrying his blankie everywhere he goes.  It accumulates stains, smells, and general wear and tear, but no one can pry Owen away from his blankie.  His neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, reminds Owen and his parents that he cannot take that blankie to school, and that greatly distresses Owen.  His mother figures out that by making small hankies from the blankie, Owen can preserve his best friend and still carry small pieces of it to school.

This is the story of my childhood.  I had a blanket that I drug around everywhere.  It got so thin and worn that everytime I visited one of my aunts or grandmas, someone had to mend it.  I was just like Owen.  And perhaps that is why my aunt gave me this book as a present when she got married.  It remains at the top of my picture book list, and I encourage anyone who teaches kindergarten to read it to their students.  It will bring a smile to your face as it still does to me, even after so many years.

Noah's Ark

Illustrator:  Jerry Pinkney, 2002, SeaStar Books

Caldecott Award

The biblical story of Noah's Ark is arguably one of the best-known stories of all time.  God was angered at his people, so he sent a flood to destroy every living creature and plant on earth with the exception of Noah, Noah's wife, sons, sons' wives, and two of every animal.  When the waters finally receded, God sent a rainbow as a covenant that He would never again flood the earth.  It is a story of faith, trust, and deliverance, and Jerry Pinkney brings it to life in this children's book.

The pictures are extremely moving and detailed.  Every facet of the story is depicted with accuracy (as best as we know) through the fine artistic details and array of colors.  I admire Pinkney for taking such a well-known story and making it real for children in the 21st century.  If you are familiar with the story or have never heard of it, this book is a real treat for the aspects of history and faith.  I closed the book with a more vivid picture of the story in my own mind, and for someone who has heard the story all his life, I was impressed.