Even the King of the Jungle needs help sometimes, but who is brave enough to help such a powerful beast? Courage comes in all sizes in Aesop�s classic fable, The Lion and the Mouse. Readers who are familiar with this timeless tale and those who are new to the story will love the simple, beautiful language of this retelling. Endearing illustrations enrich the narrative and draw in even reluctant readers. The unlikely friendship between a grouchy lion and a fearless mouse introduces readers to important concepts such as respecting differences and using one�s weaknesses as strengths. With relatable characters and a poignant moral, this book is sure to become a favorite in any library.

A lion has caught a mouse and decided to let it go because he might help him in the future.

A lion learns the value of friendship when he trapped by hunters.

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.

Aesop's fables are given a contemporary twist in this series of retellings with bright and graphic artwork.

Funny, fresh and very modern, this update on the fable of the lion and the mouse is a marvelous tale of a relationship between two unlikely friends. One day, the mouse marches into the lion’s den without an invitation. Before the lion can eat him for breakfast, the mouse begs for mercy. “If you let me go, I might be able to return the favor.” The lion laughs at the idea of such a small, insignificant creature helping him out ... until the next day when the mouse frees the lion from a hunter’s trap. Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng, one of the great creative teams in picture books, have fun in this simple and never-didactic story about how it’s possible to get along through negotiation, acceptance and learning to put up with a friend’s eccentricities. You can be good to one another not because you expect anything in return but just because you are friends. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6 Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6 Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.9 Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Originally published: Franklin Watts, 2009.