Author: Jerry Pickney
Title: The Lion & The Mouse
Illustrator: Jerry Pickney
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Year: 2009
Genre: Caldecott book
Format: Hard Cover
Reading level: Emergent and Early
Interest Level: Preschool- early elementary
Topics: Idea of family, animal's way of life, great pictures
Summary: This book is about a mouse who disturbs a big lion when he is sleeping. The lion feels upset and is mad at the little mouse for waking him. The lion thinks about eating the mouse but decides to let him go along with the rest of his prey. The mice are very grateful they have the chance to live. The lion is then caught in a trap set up by the humans. The mouse remembers the good deed the lion did for him by letting him go. The little mouse decides to nibble on the trap the lion is in, until the trap lets loose and breaks setting the lion free. Thanks to the mouse the lion is set free of the trap. The book demonstrates a great example of friendship and loyalty.
Extension Activity: After reading the story, the students can choose if they want to color a lion or a mouse. Then they can color it with either markers, crayons, or colored pencils. After they color they can share their pictures with the class and say why they chose that animal to color.
