Independent Reading Level: Grade K- 2+
Awards: Caldecott Honor (1968) ( )

Such an adorable book! It made me cry because like Frederick I'm inclined toward the artistic, and it hasn't always been appreciated. What a wonderful message! ( )

I thought this book and I loved the drawings and how they went along with the words.This book highlights the importance of creativity, imagination, and the different ways we all contribute to our communities and I loved 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. ( )

This is like one of those "ART IS NECESSARY" books. ( )

Winter is coming, and all the mice are gathering food . . . except for Frederick. But when the days grow short and the snow begins to fall, it's Frederick's stories that warm the hearts and spirits of his fellow field mice.

Winter is coming, and all the mice are gathering food . . . except for Frederick. But when the days grow short and the snow begins to fall, it's Frederick's stories that warm the hearts and spirits of his fellow field mice.

Primary. This book focuses on a somewhat troublesome mouse who does not want to help his friends prepare for the winter in the usual ways. Instead, Frederick spends his time and energy taking in the colors and feelings of the seasons to share during the long winter. This is an interesting text but could be good in a primary classroom. Lionni's books are best paired with Vivian Paley Gussin's book, the Girl with the Brown Crayon, as a way to consider to teach it.

Medium OK. ( )

This was a cute book of a mouse who just appreciates everything around him. It just shows a great value of contribution.

This was a good book about a little mouse bringing more to the table than his fellow mice thought he could.

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 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. ( )

Winter is approaching and Frederick's family is gathering their food, but Frederick isn't helping gather food. Instead, Fredrick finds his own way to contribute to the family during their long winter. This is an excellent read teaching students that contributing differently than someone else is okay, because there is value in every contribution. ( )

Great illustrations ( )

A cute little story of a mouse who is appreciative of the elements around him and shows that to his friends. ( )

This fictional story about a mouse named Fredrick shows us there is more to life than routine. Leo Lionni and Fredrick teach us that the arts and hope play a more important role in our lives than we may notice, which can lead to taking them for granted. This book can be shared as a read-aloud with a discussion for the students to add their own perception and thoughts. Should the arts be preserved? Fredrick makes a convincing argument that they should definitely be valued more. ( )

Leo Lionni tells a simple tale about a mouse, Frederick, who is not like the other five mice when it comes to joining them in the seasonal activities of finding food and storing it. Frederick lives in thoughts and words and others find out after going through their ample resources that Frederick finds words and story as just as important and powerful. The other mice honor his deep thoughts and poetry as a priceless commodity, as strong as the need for anything else. I absolutely loved this book because it was so simple and yet Frederick , when the time came let others now what words and imagination can be for building community. Leo Linni has a true talent of telling simple yet poignant stories and i believe any of my students would love this tale. ( )

Gentle illustrations help tell the philosophical story of a little mouse who doesn't do enough work to help get ready for winter. But he helps his family realize that there's more to life than just food and shelter. Can be used to teach the four seasons or a deeper meaning that what's important to some people may not be all there is. ( )

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. ( )

great story to show students to accept themselves and share memories. ( )

this book is great for the classroom because it teaches the students that some things in life aren't physical. It can be more memories or emotions. ( )

This is a sweet book about a mice that has a creative idea to bring to the table. ( )

Frederick is a sweet book about mice who are getting ready for the winter. They are going to save food and everything that they need to survive but Frederick has an idea about what he is bringing to the table. He shows that he has the artistic idea. This is to keep everyone from becoming bored. ( )

Everyone has something of value to contribute. ( )

Fredrick does not do what the other mice do. When it becomes cold the other mice look to Fredrick for his contribution. ( )