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From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

An adaptation of the Indian fable "The Blind Men and the Elephant" cleverly uses paper collage set on a black background. The men are recast here as seven brightly colored mice who argue about what the Something is after each one comes in contact with a different part of the elephant. Young has created the elephant out of seven separate pieces of paper which correspond to each mouse's part. Viewers only see the elephant as a whole once the mice have put their heads together to figure out what the Something is. The well-paced text and large, clear illustrations will make this a good choice for reading aloud to groups of preschoolers. (Ages 3-6)

CCBC Choices 1992 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1992. Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

April 27, 1992
In a stunning celebration of color Caldecott medalist Young ( Lon Po Po ) offers a vibrant variation on the fable of the blind men trying to identify an elephant. Seven differently-hued blind mice approach the ``strange Something'' in their midst on successive days and report their findings to the group. A large black square provides the background for each painting, a dramatic contrast to the brilliant images ``felt'' by the sightless rodents. Young's textured, cut-paper illustrations allow readers to visualize just how a floppy ear might be mistaken for a fan (``I felt it move!''); the elephant's curving trunk springs to life as both a jewel-green snake and a glowing yellow spear. The spare text permits greater exploration and enjoyment of the artwork--it may be difficult to read the story straight through without stopping to compare the various images. The ``Mouse Moral'' that concludes the tale--``Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole''--may seem superfluous to those who prefer the imaginative ``vision'' of the mice. Ages 4-up.

From School Library Journal

Starred review from April 1, 1992
K-Gr 3- A real winner, on many levels. The first impression is visual delight. Brilliant colors and varied textures of paper collage are placed in striking contrast against velvety black pages. Bold white lettering imposed on the dark background tells of seven blind mice, seen in seven bright colors. Over the course of a week each investigates, in turn, the strange "Something" it encounters. To one it is a pillar, to another a snake, to another a cliff. Finally, on the seventh day, the white mouse, running across the thing and remembering what the others found, concludes that it is an elephant. The tale ends with the moral that wisdom comes from seeing "the whole." Adapting the old fable of the blind men and the elephant by weaving in the days of the week, the mice, and the beautiful shapes of the things they see, Young gives children a clever story, wise words, and a truly exciting visual experience.- Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ

From Booklist

Starred review from April 1, 1992
Ages 3-8. In Young's version of the familiar Indian folktale of the blind men and the elephant, seven blind "mice" approach an elephant, ask what it is, explore various parts of the beast, and arrive at different conclusions. On Monday, Red Mouse feels the elephant's leg and proclaims "It's a pillar." On Tuesday, Green Mouse jumps onto the elephant's trunk and decides, "It's a snake." On Wednesday, Yellow Mouse checks out the tusk and says, "It's a spear." But on the seventh day, White Mouse scampers all over the creature and puts all the clues together. The author offers this moral, "Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole." Many preschool and primary grade teachers will find that the book reinforces their students' learning of colors, days of the week, and ordinal numbers, while heeding the story's admonition not to lose sight of the whole in their enthusiasm for identifying the parts.Graphically, this picture book is stunning, with the cut-paper figures of the eight characters dramatically silhouetted against black backgrounds. White lettering and borders provide contrast, but the eye is always drawn to the mottled, beige tones of the elephant and the brightly colored mice, vibrant against the large, black pages. Playing with color and line, light and dark, and with the concepts of sightlessness and visualization, Young designs a title page spread with only the mice's colorful tails appearing against the blackness; like the blind mice themselves, viewers will call on their imaginations to fill in the rest. What does one see? Curved lines? Tails? Mice? At once profound and simple, intelligent and playful, this picture book is the work of an artist who understands the medium and respects his audience. ((Reviewed Apr. 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)

From Horn Book

January 1, 1992
In the Indian fable, each blind mouse visits the elephant and declares that he has discovered a pillar, a snake, a cliff, a spear, a fan, or a rope. But a seventh mouse, the only one to investigate the whole 'something,' is able to discern that it is an elephant. The spareness of the text is echoed in the splendid collages. Immensely appealing.

(Copyright 1992 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From AudioFile Magazine

What is the "something" by the pond? With hesitation and trepidation, six mice individually approach the creature and report findings back to the group over the course of a week. Yes, it is "sturdy," "supple," "wide," "sharp," "breezy," and "stringy," depending on which way one approaches it. But what creature possesses all these attributes? It takes the wise seventh mouse to answer the question. B.D. Wong brings a calm and thoughtful narration to this Indian folktale. His pacing is poignant and relaxed, and gives pause for consideration of both mice and universal wisdom. The recording concludes with the author describing the origin and development of this exquisite book, designated a Caldecott Honor Book in 1993. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine