Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse
Author/Illustrator: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Pantheon
Publication Year: 1969
Brief Summary: Alexander longs to become a wind-up mouse like his friend Willy, until he finds out that Willy is about to be thrown away.
Awards, Honors and Prizes:
- Christopher Award, 1970 Winner Ages 4-8 United States
- Randolph Caldecott Medal, 1970 Honor Book United States
- Notable Children’s Books, 1969 ; ALSC American Library Association
Ideas for using this book in classroom or library:
- What is your favorite toy? How long have you had it and why is it your favorite? Write and illustrate a story about it. Would you ever given it away? (Or maybe it replaced something you loved as a child?)
- What are some things we can do with toys that we have outgrown? Older kids can watch Toy Story (1-3)… What might your toys say to one another if it came to life?
- Why does Alexander want to become a wind-up mouse? Do you think Willy prefers being a wind-up mouse or a real mouse?
- Why do you think Alexander made the wish that he did at the end? (Selflessness.) What would you have done?
- Read Velveteen Rabbit. What similarities and differences do you see between the two stories?
Brief notes on curriculum connections/content learning standards/Common Core/etc.
- Text-to-self connections
- Text-to-text connections
Special features included (if applicable) — index; timeline; author’s notes; further reading; etc.
Accessed at: Signal Mountain Library
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