As near as we can tell, Aesop’s Fables date back to at least the 6th Century B.C. I personally feel that many of these tales are even older and Aesop had probably recorded quite a number of old folk tales from the past. Be-that-as-it-may, this is a rewrite of one of my favorite of Aesop’s Fables. This story has been told and retold in countless languages, in countless countries and it would be almost impossible to find and read them all. I will say though, that with this offering, Jan Brett has done the tradition proud and pretty well proved that what was good in the 6th Century B.C. is good today!
In this story, we have the Town Mouse and his wife and the Country Mouse and his wife that, after a chance meeting, decide to trade places. You all know the story, and if you don’t, I don’t want any spoilers here, so I will not give a blow by blow rundown on the adventures of these four in their new environment.
What sets this particular version apart from so many others though, is the art work. I cannot remember a children’s book that was so well illustrated and to be frank, so interesting. The author alternates, page by page from Town Mouse back to Country Mouse. At the side of each illustration we have a sort of preview of what is going to happen next. This is not a “copy” of an upcoming page, but rather a general view of what might be. Once the child (and parent or grandparent catches on, this can be quite fun). But back to the art. The only way I can describe it would be Victorian. It is vivid, detailed, colorful and just down right interesting. The way the author has humanized the various critters does not come across as phony at all, and actually looks quite natural is a stage sort of way. I could safely say that most people could read and look at this book twenty or more times and each time find some detail they have never seen before with previous readings. Each page is a visual adventure; each page is an absolute delight. Now this does not mean this work does not have a strong and well written text. Far from it! The story flows well, is easy on the eye and the story is quite understandable to the targeted age group which would probably be kindergarten through third or fourth grade.
The obvious lesson learned from the story is to be happy with where you are, stop complaining and count yourself lucky you have what you have. What is nice about this work though, is that the adult reader can get much more mileage out of this than just the moral of the story. This is an ideal book to help children learn to really observe and look for details. It will be obvious after several readings, even to the little ones, that there is more to see if you just take the time to look. Absolute hours of discussion can be had just talking with the child about the different things seen on each and ever page.
This particular publication dates back to 1994. Let’s hope it is with us many, many more years.
Considerations :::
Town Mouse, Country Mouse by Jan Brett an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 4.0 which means that the average Entering 4th Grader should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
Town Mouse, Country Mouse
- Accelerated Reading level : 4.0
- Paperback: 32 pages
- Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (January 2003)
- ISBN-10: 069811986X
- Take-a-Peek
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4 comments :
we have a few of these -- the Gingerbread Boy and one with a wolf cub (?)-- and love the art; it lets the younger ones tell you the story on those nights when you just couldn't possibly read it again...
Hi JK...yes, that is what I like about this author in particular. With each page and a little imagination, a child can make up some wonderful stories. I think that is good for them and it sure helps dad amd mom who have read the same book over and over and over and over and over.....Thanks for your comments.
I'm looking for something that compares city life with country life for slightly older children. Any suggestions?
Here's some suggestions which we hope help, Emma.
City Cats, Country Cat by Barbara Hozen Shook and Pam Paparone --this is an easy reader format.
Country Kid, City Kid by Julie Cummins--this book features children, a boy in the country and a girl in the city. From the one review of it I saw, it appears there is a slight Christian theme to at least one or more of the actions in the book. K-2nd
The City Kid and the Suburb Kid by Deb Pilutti, this K-2nd grade features suburbs and city rather than country and city, but seems well received. It's a flip-over book that details the city kid on one side and the suburb kid on the other.
Everything is Different at Nonna's House--by Caron Lee Cohen--a child from the city goes to visit their grandparents in the country. Ages 4-8. This may fit the bill.
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems and Jon Muth--this isn't out till June 2010 and it seems more about the friendship than the country city theme, but it does feature that dichotomy. 4-8 yrs.
City Witch, Country Switch by Wendy Wax--appears to be a humorous take on the subject when a country cousin comes visiting the city witch. Ages 4-8.
City Dog by Karla Kuskin--a poetic exploration of a city dog in the country. Ages 4-8
Steph
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