1. The Lion & The Mouse
By: Jerry Pinkney
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Winner of 2010 Caldecott Medal
Presentation by: Kayla Johnson

2. Style & Media
• This book is told
entirely through
pictures (aside from
an occasional use of
an onomatopoeia).
Pinkney’s
illustrations are
realistic, and he
achieves this through
painterly media
including watercolor.

3. Line
Pinkney uses various
lines throughout. In
these two pictures, the
lines are
vertical, indicating
movement.
The Picture above uses diagonal
lines to indicate that the lion is
moving deeper into the forest.
The picture to the right uses
diagonal lines to show the car
continuing on the path.

4. Shape
• Pinkney uses
recognizable shapes
to convey his story.
The setting of The
Lion & The Mouse is
most likely an
African plain. The
illustrations are
mostly comprised of
curved shapes, which
is representational of
things found in the
wild.

5. More About Shape
• The story, however, does include a vehicle in
the wild. It is created with an angular
shape.

6. Colors Creating Setting
Pinkney uses colors that create an authentic
setting. He uses various shades of brown,
yellow, and orange. These are the colors that
come to mind when I think of the plains of
Africa. These warm colors also help to convey
climate. When the lion moves into the forest,
Pinkney uses cool colors. Although the colors
are realistic, they also communicate that the
climate has changed.

7. Colors Creating Mood
Colors also help to describe that the character is in danger (or soon will
be). On the left of each picture set, the setting isn’t dangerous. On
the right, the character is getting ready to (or is already in) a
dangerous situation.
Notice how the lion’s
fur changes from a
light orange/yellow
into a dark red and
orange.
The setting changes
from warm yellow to
cautioning dark
green and brown.

8. The illustrations used create a
3 dimensional feel. The
lion’s mane looks fluffy, soft,
and wispy. It creates a sense
that the reader can actually
touch the lion. The brush
strokes and layers of color
also lend a helping hand in
creating complexity.

9. Composition
The composition of the illustrations is irregularly
balanced. There is also consistent object
dominance throughout. In the pictures
below, the lion and the vehicle are the dominant
objects.