Frederick by Leo Lionni

Lionni, Leo. Frederick. Pantheon, 1967.

Lexile Level: 500L

Frederick, written and illustrated by Leo Lionni, is a 1967 picture book that was named as a Caldecott Honor book in 1968. It tells the tales of a family of mice that are preparing for the coming winter by gathering food and storing it in their home. One mouse, Frederick, is repeatedly observed by the rest of his family as not working, to which he explains that he is gathering colors, sun's rays, and words, all of which will be equally as important during the harsh winter ahead. Later, in the depths of the cold and dreary winter, Frederick keeps his family warm and hopeful with his descriptions of the sun's ray's and the colors of summer, as well as a fanciful poem about the field mice that live in the sky and bring about the changes in seasons:

The lesson to be learned from this story is that while initially it seems as though Frederick is failing to contribute to his family's needs in preparing for the winter, it is later revealed that Frederick's contemplation during the summer/fall results in Frederick serving as the hopeful and encouraging guide that will help his family meet their emotional needs in order to survive the winter.

There are several reasons why this book seems worthy of its Caldecott Honor. First and foremost, the artwork is both simple, yet striking and engaging: Despite only having eyes, the mice are very expressive.

Frederick's thoughtfulness and understanding that his family would need more than just physical sustenance in order to survive the long, cold winter, is an excellent lesson to learn, and it is told in a fun and creative way via this story. Though his family seems to initially doubt his willingness to help and contribute, Frederick maintains his course and comes through when his family needs it most.

All in all, this is a wonderful picture book and is worthy of its Caldecott Honor.