The Greentail Mouse by Leo Lionni

The Greentail Mouse (Picture Lions S.)

by Leo Lionni

The beloved fable from four-time Caldecott Honor winner Leo Lionni!

Originally published in 1973, this is the offbeat fable of a city mouse who visits his peaceful country cousins and tells them about Mardi Gras in the city. The country mice are inspired to have their own Mardi Gras. And at first it is fun wearing their masks with sharp teeth and tusks and scaring each other, but after a while they begin believing that they really are ferocious animals.

Leo Lionni’s winsome mice cavort across big double-page spreads of oil paintings and tell a story about what is real and what is not that is just right for preschoolers.

Reviewed by mrs_mander_reads on

3 of 5 stars

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Not my favorite Lionni, I think because the content was more complex than the age group I used it with could handle. A good story - overall theme relates to forgetting who/what you are. Probably best suited for school-aged children.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 13 March, 2018: Finished reading
  • 13 March, 2018: Reviewed