Once a Mouse... [Hardcover]

Marcia Brown (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

"No one shall tell me that I was once a mouse!" roars the tiger. But an old hermit, mighty at magic, does tell him; for it was he who first changed the tiger from a wretched little mouse to a stout cat, to a big dog, and finally, to his proud and royal self. Youngest readers will take special delight in seeing these changes take place in Marcia Brown's dramatic picturing of the tiger's fall from grace. Older boys and girls will read more meaning into the text.

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. Marcia Brown retells this fable from the Hitopadesa in vigorous style and illustrates it in woodcuts of exceptional quality. With a fluidity rare in the medium, they achieve the difficult feat of retaining their strong appeal for children while captivating art lovers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marcia Brown, one of the most honored illustrators in children's literature, is a three-time Caldecott Medalist and six-time Caldecott Honor illustrator, as well as winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for the body of her work. She lives in Laguna Hills, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684126621
• ISBN-13: 978-0684126623
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,287,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here I come to save the day, April 27, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Once a Mouse... (Paperback)

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ancient Indian Treasure, February 29, 2004

By 

Pearl of Wisdom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once a Mouse... (Hardcover)

"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.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The story of a lion that was once a mouse., May 14, 1999

By 

R. D. Allison ([e-mail]) (Gainesville, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once a Mouse... (Hardcover)

This short tale for young children is based on an old Indian story from the "Hitopadesa." In ancient India, a wise man saves a mouse by magically transforming him into other animals. Finally, the mouse is changed into a tiger but becomes too arrogant, forgetting that he was once a mouse. The book is illustrated by woodcuts and it won the 1962 Caldecott Medal for best illustration in a book for children.