Seven Blind Mice

 


Author & Illustrator:  Ed Young
 Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Year:  1992
Location: Knox County Public Library- Powell

Awards: Caldecott Honor, Boston Globe Hom Book award, California Children's Media award

Summary: Seven blind mice each go out and investigate the Something by the pond. They each come back with a different opinion of what it is. When the last mouse goes out, she examines the entire Something and  realizes that it is an elephant. This is a re-imagining of the ancient fable of the blind men and the elephant.  The charming paper collage illustrations with brightly colored mice would be very inviting to small children.

Classroom Ideas:  At the end of this book, the different descriptions are presented in the form of similes which could be an introduction to this type of figurative language. Another Language Arts skill that could be focused on is theme with the moral on the final page. The very youngest readers could discuss colors and the days of the week.