"Frederick" by Leo Lionni

Two months ago, I came across "Frederick" , a book written and illustrated by Leo Lionni. After just one reading, we all fell in love with this sweet little field mouse, whose creativity and poetry help his friends through the rough winter.

Frederick is poetic and imaginative little mouse. While the other field mice are preparing for the coming winter and gather grains, nuts, wheat and berries, Frederick sits around observing. The other mice criticize him for being lazy, but Frederick insists that what he's doing is important : he's collecting words and colors...Once the winter finally settles in, the food Frederick's family gathered sustains them for a while, but soon the food runs out and it is Frederick's vivid memories of the colors of spring, as well as his poems and stories, that take the other mice's minds off their troubles and get them through the winter.

"I am gathering words. For the winter days are long and many, and we'll run out of things to say ."

Ultimately, "Frederick" encourages us to respect other people s' differences and reminds us of the power of imagination.

" Frederick" is one of many books written by this fabulous author. Leo Lionni wrote and illustrated more than 40 highly acclaimed children’s books. He received the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was a four-time Caldecott Honor Winner—for Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Leo Lionni died in October of 1999 at his home in Tuscany, Italy, at the age of 89.

Other fantastic books we also love reading are: " Tico" with his golden wings, " Fish is Fish", " A color of his own", " Nicolas, where have you been?", " the Extraordinary egg", " the Alphabet tree" ...

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You can also find "Frederick" at the NY Public Library:

http://nypl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/20227789052907_frederick

on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Frederick-Leo-Lionni/dp/0394826140