Indian fable from the Hitopadesa
Reading age: 4 - 8 years
Awards: Caldecott Medal

An intriguing corollary to the classic Lion and the Mouse fable; here the animal that receives favors is ungrateful and receives its comeuppance. Woodcut illustrations that are surprisingly engaging given their muted 60s color scheme. ( )

Once a mouse is a book about a mouse who wants to change and goes through different phases as different animals. In his final stage, a lion, he forgets his true self and becomes aware that his actions has consequences. I think this could be a good book to keep in the middle school classroom because many students try to change who they are. As students are changing themselves they might start doing stuff they wouldn't normally do in order to fit in. Using this book, we can show students that they don't have to change to fit in and that their actions have consequences. ( )

An interesting story about being humble and remembering where you came from. This book teaches a valuable lesson. The mouse began as tiny and defenseless. Thanks to the help of a nearby hermit, he grew to be a strong and powerful tiger that intimidated all ot the other animals. The mouse was alive only because of the hermit's help and mercy. However, the mouse soon forgets this and even turns on the hermit who had saved his life. The hermit sees the tiger's lack of humility and changes him back to a =mouse. I enjoyed the illustrations that accompanied the text. However, I did feel that the text did not clow very smoothly for me. ( )

I thought this book put a lesson in humility in a place where children would be able to understand it...on their level. Judging from the illustrations, this seems to be an aged book. Nevertheless, it is a good one for elementary students to grasp not only the concept of humility, but also what could possibly happen when you choose not to be humble. ( )