The Princess Mouse : A Tale of Finland [Hardcover]

Aaron Shepard (Author), Leonid Gore (Illustrator)

Book Description

In Mikko's family, when a son is ready to marry, he must chop down a tree and then search for his bride by following the direction in which the tree points. When Mikko's brother chops down his tree, it points right to where his sweetheart lives. But when it's Mikko's turn, the tree points toward the deep, dark woods. What type of sweetheart can Mikko expect to find there? Though his brother taunts that the only wife Mikko will find in the forest will be a wolf or a fox, Mikko sets off optimistically. There he meets the most unusual of sweethearts, but one who proves that with an open heart and mind, love can be rewarded in the most surprising and unexpected ways. With luminous illustrations by Leonid Gore, Aaron Shepard retells a classic Finnish folktale that will delight young readers time and time again.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-The time has come for two brothers to choose their brides, and they must follow the family tradition of cutting down a tree, seeing where it points, and then walking that way until they find a sweetheart. The older sibling arranges for his tree to land in the direction of the house of the girl he wants to marry, but the younger boy's tree points to the forest. The only creature he meets there is a tiny mouse, who declares that she will make him a worthy bride. After both sweethearts pass tests of skill, she does just that, surprising all as an enchantment is broken and she is once again a human princess. Shepard does his usual capable job of retelling this old tale in clear, simple, yet effective prose. Source notes are appended, as is a reference to his Web site, where activities to extend this and other books may be found. Gore's acrylic-and-pastel artwork is a lighthearted match for this whimsical tale, but occasionally the palette lacks variety and readers are overwhelmed by the copious use of greens. On the whole, though, this is a pleasant, attractive addition to folklore shelves.
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Mikko and his brother are now old enough to marry. Following family marriage tradition, each cuts down a tree and follows the direction it points--in Mikko's case, to the forest. To his surprise, there's a house. More surprising is its inhabitant--a mouse whose kindness wins his heart. Alas, the family can't see beyond her fur, and Mikko's disdaining brother kicks his beloved mouse into the stream. When an enchanted princess emerges, true love triumphs. Shepard's charmingly droll version of a Finnish folktale combines classic elements with unexpected, witty details--among them, an outspoken mouse who sings a little song in the story (lyrics and melody appended). The jewel-toned art has beautiful luminescence; the elongated, somewhat blocky look of the characters reinforces the fantasy; and the mice are downright irresistible. An endnote identifies story sources and a Web site for a readers' theater script of the tale. Quirky, enjoyable, and easily adapted for storytime. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689829124
• ISBN-13: 978-0689829123
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,669,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to find a wife? Cut down and tree and go where it points, March 2, 2004

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Princess Mouse : A Tale of Finland (Hardcover)

"The Princess Mouse: A Tale of Finland" begins with a simple premise, which is that in Mikko's family when young men get to the age when it is time for them to marry they find their future brides by cutting down a tree and following it points. It so happens that in this particular farm family the two sons are old enough to marry so the father instructs them to follow the family tradition, declaring, "That's how we've done it, and that's how we always well." The older son knows exactly who he wants to marry and cuts down the true so that it points right to her door, but when the younger son, Mikko, cuts down his tree it points into the deep forest. His brother mocks him, wondering if Mikko's sweetheart will be a wolf or a fox. But Mikko walks off into the forest declaring "I'll find who I find."

What Mikko finds is a mouse who is more than happy to be his sweetheart. Strangely enough, Mikko agrees and returns home to tell his father he has found a sweetheart. The tale now becomes interesting because Mikko's father has arranged a series of tests for the sweethearts of his two sons to take to prove their worth (do not ask why, you know what the father will say). From the title of the this story being told by Aaron Shepard you can probably guess how it is going to turn out in the end, but that does not distract all that much from the charm of this tale which is illustrated by Leonid Gore. You have many of the traditional elements of such folktales, but there are some nice unexpected twists that will delight readers of all ages.

Shepherd based his retelling of this tale mostly on story of "The Forest Bride," which I actually prefer as a title, but also on the story of "The Mouse Bride." In the back of the book you will find the simple music for "The Song of the Princess Mouse," written by Shepard. In fact, if you visit Shepard's homepage you can find not only a recording of the tune for this song but a reader's theater script along with another test of the brothers' sweethearts. So there are some nice resources to go with this folktale for teachers to use. Shepard has authored other folktales, including "The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland."

5.0 out of 5 stars The Princess Mouse: Reader Review, October 30, 2008

By 

Ashley Nicol - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Princess Mouse : A Tale of Finland (Hardcover)

In Finland, it is tradition for men to choose their brides by cutting down a tree and walking in the direction it points until they find their true love. When Mikko, a farmer's son, cuts down his tree, it points into the forest where the only talking being he comes across is a friendly mouse. The mouse convinces Mikko to let her be his sweetheart, but when the wedding day arrives, the guests are astonished by his choice. His scoffing older brother throws the mouse into the river. Suddenly, the creature turns into a princess and after the wedding ceremony, takes Mikko back to her castle to live.

Aaron Shepard's book is an endearing love story that teaches readers not to look solely on a person's outward appearance. The story is simply yet well written and the illustrations are both unique and appropriate for the Scandinavian setting. Children and adults alike would enjoy this folktale.