Once a Mouse

by Marcia Brown

Book Overview

Marcia Brown retells an Indian fable from the Hitopadesa in this Caldecott Medal-winning tale of a mouse who becomes a tiger.

When a small mouse's life is threatened by large jungle predators, a kindly hermit uses magic to change him into a cat, a dog, and a majestic tiger. But the proud tiger must suffer the consequences when he becomes ungrateful and forgets his humble origins. Marcia Brown's magical woodcuts bring this Indian...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684126621
• ISBN13: 9780684126623
• Release Date: April 1972
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.5" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

An excellent and ancient tale from India just right for children

This story is an ancient fable from India; the difference here is that the images are rendered in woodcuts. An old hermit witnesses a tiny mouse about to be devoured by a crow so he runs to it and chases the crow away. Taking pity on the defenseless mouse, he uses his magic powers to turn it into a cat. However, when a larger cat arrives, he turns his cat into a bigger one. After this a dog comes after the cat so he turns it into an even bigger dog. Finally, when a tiger comes after the dog, he turns it into an even bigger tiger. At this time the tiger begins to believe he is lord of the forest and the hermit chastises him, pointing out that if it weren't for him, he wouldn't even be alive. This infuriates the tiger, so it plots to kill the old man. At this point, the hermit reads the tiger's mind and turns him back into a frightened mouse that runs away. There is an excellent moral lesson in this tale for children and the woodcuts are strongly and effectively executed, giving the images a quality unlike the usual illustrations in children's books. It is easy to see why this book was a winner of the Caldecott medal.

Superlative pictures tell a story and win the Prize.

"Once A Mouse" is a fable from India adapted by Marcia Brown who won the Caldecott medal in 1962 for the marvelous woodcuts in this book. As the title page states, it is "a fable cut in wood." The artistry of woodcuts has always intrigued me and Marcia Brown is totally successful in translating animal emotions, whether scared or scary, bemused or 'lording it' over all. See the dog's wonderful snarling nose and the hermit whose unsurprised, philosophical face contrasts with the haughty tiger who "peacocked about the forest." The reader is left, like the hermit, to meditate "on big and little" . . . and about how humans, like tigers, can get too big for their britches. Teachers can guide lively discussions even among the youngest - - who will learn to say "chided" - - a gentle word that should be on the world's list of 'protected species'. Reviewer mcHaiku cheers for the works Marcia Brown has shared which are so satisfactory at all levels.

Here I come to save the day

Described in its day as attaining, "a fluidity rare in the medium", this illustrated book of woodcuts tells a simple fable that has remained beloved for decades. Claiming to be a tale told from ancient India, the story follows a man, a mouse, and the downfall of pride. A wise hermit lives alone in the forest when he happens to spy a mouse about to be eaten. Fearful for the little creature, the man changes his new friend into a cat. When a dog threatens his cat, he turns the mouse into a dog, and then (after a similar situation) into a tiger. Now a fine feline of a beast, the former mouse lords his newfound state over the other animals of the forest. After planning the death of his benefactor, the man changes the tiger into a mouse again and everything goes back to as it was (with the mouse, I suspect, a little wiser). The woodcuts are fine indeed. Delicate little illustrations imbued with life and verve. From snarling dogs to transformed mice the images stand for themselves. I hadn't been aware of the author/illustrator's work before reading her winning, "Stone Soup". After comparing the two, I have to say they're definitely of equal interest. It's nice to see a book giving a clear sighted look at a fable from another country (in this case, India) without any stereotypes or racism. All in all, it's a nice little book with a strong moral core.

An Ancient Indian Treasure

"A rajah of ancient India is said to have had such popular animal fables collected as a 'mirror for princes' to instruct his errant sons." This particular fable is about a mouse who is helped by a forest hermit with magic powers. The Indian hermit magically transforms the mouse into a cat, a dog, and finally a tiger; however, when the tiger gets too proud and forgets its origins, the hermit turns it back into a mouse.I love this book because the story teaches many lessons and does not have just one definitive moral. The story could serve as a springboard for discussing several topics with young children: the importance of knowing where you came from, the importance of humility, the Hindu concepts of reincarnation and karma, Darwin's theory of evolution, and even which animals make good pets and which ones don't.The award-winning illustrations are also unique and action-packed, and they perfectly complement the text.Children ages 2 and up will enjoy having this story read to them, and children ages 4-8 will probably be able to read the simple text on their own. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages! It's an ancient Indian treasure.

once a mouse

This book is about a hermit who helps a little mouse. It is very detailed in both pictures and writing.I reccommend this book for younger readers who enjoy reading and looking a detailed pictures.It also won the 1962 caldecott award of the year.