Frederick

While his siblings gather food stores for the winter ahead, little Frederick the mouse sits and dreams, seemingly not busy at all. In reality however, he is gathering the sounds and sights around him, and the memory of the warm sun - all things he will use to comfort and enchant his family, when the food runs out during the long winter...

Originally published in 1967 and awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1968, Frederick is one of those childhood classics that I never got around to as a child. Although long familiar with author/artist Leo Lionni's name - we have an entire shelf devoted to his books at work - I had never before today actually picked up one of his stories. I'm glad that I finally have, as I found this to be a charming show more picture-book, pairing a gentle, thoughtful tale about the importance of creativity and imagination with lovely collage-style illustrations. The story here is like an answer to that classic Aesopic fable of The Ants and the Grasshopper, and argues that there is more than one kind of work that is important. Read in that way, I greatly appreciated it.

That said, a part of me couldn't help but think that the narrative here only works if one reads Frederick and his murine compatriots as a society in miniature, rather than as a family. If there were a human farming family, for instance, and one of the children liked sports, while the other liked art, I doubt the parents would excuse the art-loving child from doing their part of the farm chores. Similarly, in many families, members with a diverse range of interests and occupations regularly help out with household tasks, regardless of whether they feel a natural aptitude for the work before them. Will child readers take this as I think it was meant, as an allegory about different kinds of work having value within the larger society? Or will they take the other message (however unintentional), that some should be excused from doing their share of communal work, whether in the family or class? I'm honestly not sure.

Perhaps I'm overthinking the issue, and have been influenced by my distaste for the more recent trend (exemplified by titles like Iggy Peck, Architect), in which children are encouraged to think that they are too special to join in whatever the group is doing, or to follow the rules. In the end, I really did enjoy Frederick, and plan to track down more of Lionni's work. That said, little doubts of the kind described above, would not be quashed as I read it. show less

Frederick is a sweet story about a mouse that is different from the rest of his family. He does not toil and work to gather typical supplies for the winter, but A-typical supplies such as "sun light" and "colors." This book may not be clear for very young readers, yet it accesses the reader's imagination for why we have seasons and their importance. I felt connected to this story because at times, when I can't measure up with the typical "supplies" of this life, it is hard for me to be confident in my "A-typical" supplies. This book is encouraging for all ages, yet has a deeper meaning for an older audience.

My favorite Leo Lionni so far is probably the story about Frederick, the poet mouse, naturally misunderstood and unappreciated by his fellow mice. "Frederick, why don't you work?", they asked. "I do work," said Frederick. "I gather sunrays for the cold dark winter days."
So, all summer he sat there, gathering sunrays, and colors, and words. And then, when in the midst of winter "he told them of the blue periwinkles, the red poppies in the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, they saw the colors as clearly as if they had been painted in their minds." And the words, ooh! "Who scatters snowflakes? Who melts the ice? Who spoils the weather? Who makes it nice? Who grows the four-leaf clovers in June? Who dims the daylight? show more Who lights the moon?" Never have I come across a more lyrical mouse than Frederick.

Lesson: What is the point of striving to stay alive if our life is void of beauty, poetry, art ... ? show less

Fun book that explains how everyone's talents can be used. When all of the mice are gathering food for the winter, Frederick is busy writing poetry. This frustrates the other mice. However, when winter comes and the food is gone, Frederick shares his writing with them and helps them to imagine the warmth of the summer and the beautiful spring to come. He saves his friends by giving them hope.

I love this story. Just because a person isn't the "norm" or does something differently, does not mean that he/she is not contributing.

In the classroom, I would create a discussion about things that the children are good at that others might not be. I would have them write in their journal about their special talent and what they can do with it.

Frederick seems like he is not helping his mouse family prepare for winter. But when the cold, dark nights come, Frederick has more to contribute than they realized.

A nice antidote to the fable of the ants and the grasshopper. Frederick does contribute to the society, even if his contribution doesn’t look the same as everyone else’s. Really nice artwork that looks like cut paper.

A family of mice are preparing for the upcoming winter. While most of the mice are doing hard labor of gathering, Frederick lazily soaks up his surroundings, trying to get the most out of the last bits of the swell season. Although Frederick resists helping his family gather supplies, he supplies the family with entertainment during hibernation. Frederick uses poetry and imagination to create a pleasing atmosphere during boring hibernation. Frederick demonstrates that there is more to life than the basic needs of survival, he shows that there is more to life than what meets the eye.

Lionni's signature cut paper illustrations probably felt more creative when first published; now they feel a bit stiff. Still, the story of Frederick is winner. All summer, the other mice are prepping for winter while Frederick sits on his duff soaking up sun, memorizing colors, and storing away words. Clearly he's one lazy fellow! But a fun twist at the end has all of the mice hailing him as their hero.