From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-A gentle picture-book retelling with a slightly different twist. In this version， the main characters first meet when the lion is a young cub. Years pass and the "king of the beasts" is trapped by a hunter's net and ultimately freed by the same mouse. The other details of this familiar fable remain the same， but Watts's illustrations enlarge the setting to include a fanciful African Lion King landscape dotted with meerkats， leopards， baboons， and giraffes. The text is strong with short， descriptive sentences and an effective use of repetition. The palette in the full-spread art reflects the mix of the jungle and desert landscapes depicted: pastel greens alternating with arid browns， yellows， and touches of orange. The illustrations draw upon realistic details for trees and plants yet maintain a cartoonlike sensibility for the animals. Overall， the impression created is one of passivity; there is little drama or action. While this particular adaptation has some weaknesses， it should be a useful addition to storytimes and folklore collections.Denise Anton Wright， Alliance Library System， Bloomington， IL Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book Description A reckless mouse accidentally scampers across a sleeping lion's paw. The lion awakens with a roar， but he lets the mouse go free. In gratitude， the mouse promises to help the lion if he is ever in need. The lion laughs at the very idea， but sometimes even a little mouse can be strong， and even a lion can be helpless. Bernadette Watts has created an appealing jungle setting for her simple retelling of a favorite Aesop fable. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. See all Editorial Reviews