Once a Mouse facts for kids
 |
|
| Author | Marcia Brown |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Marcia Brown |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Scribner Press |
|
Publication date
|
1961 |
Once a Mouse is a popular children's book written and illustrated by Marcia Brown. It was published in 1961 by Scribner Press. This book is special because it won the Caldecott Medal in 1962.
The Caldecott Medal is a very important award. It is given each year to the artist who creates the most outstanding picture book for children in the United States. Marcia Brown won this award twice, which is a big achievement!
Contents
The Story of Once a Mouse
Once a Mouse tells an old Indian fable. A fable is a story that teaches a lesson. This story is about a tiny, helpless mouse and a wise hermit. A hermit is a person who lives alone and thinks deeply about life.
The Hermit's Kindness
One day, the hermit was sitting peacefully under a tree. Suddenly, he saw a small mouse in danger. A cat was about to catch the mouse. The hermit felt sorry for the little creature. He decided to use his magic to help.
The hermit changed the mouse into a cat. Now, the mouse-turned-cat was safe from other cats.
More Transformations
Later, the hermit saw the cat (who used to be a mouse) looking very scared. A dog was chasing it! So, the kind hermit changed the cat into a dog. Now it was safe from dogs.
The very next day, the hermit saw the dog (who used to be a mouse and then a cat) in trouble again. A big, fierce tiger was trying to eat it! The hermit decided to make one more change. He turned the dog into a majestic tiger.
The Tiger's Pride
As days passed, the new tiger started to feel very important. He thought he was the king of the jungle. He believed all the other animals should respect him. He even thought he was better than the old hermit who had helped him.
One day, the hermit reminded the tiger of his true beginnings. He told the tiger that he was really just a mouse inside. He said the tiger should not act so proud and mean.
Learning a Lesson
The tiger became very angry. He was so mad that he decided to eat the hermit! But the tiger did not know that the old man could read thoughts. The hermit knew exactly what the tiger was planning.
Finally, the hermit changed the tiger back into a tiny mouse. He told the mouse that it needed to learn how to take care of itself. The story teaches us that we should always remember where we came from. We should also be grateful to those who help us.
