Printable Mini Books

The lion and the little mouse

A lion sleeps under a shady tree. A little mouse runs across his paw and wakes him. The lion catches the mouse, but lets him go when the mouse promises to help one day. Later, hunters trap the lion in a strong net. The mouse hears his roars, nibbles the ropes and makes a hole. The lion steps out safely. He thanks the small mouse and remembers that even a tiny friend can be helpful. Read this well-known fable with actions for sleeping, running and chewing. Lesson: Kindness can return to us in an unexpected way.

Read, talk and retell

Read the mini book slowly, pointing to each picture and word. For younger children, name the objects, repeat key phrases and invite them to finish a sentence. Older children can sound out simple words, read familiar words and take turns reading a page. Ask what happened first, next and last. Talk about how the lion felt when he was trapped and why the mouse chose to help. After reading, let your child retell the story using the pictures, without correcting every small mistake.

Small activities after reading

Make a three-part story strip with drawings for the beginning, middle and end. Your child can match animal pictures to words, circle the kind action and colour the setting. Act out the story with paper masks or soft toys, giving the lion and mouse different voices. For a writing task, ask your child to complete the sentence, I can help by... Older children can write a new ending or make a tiny book about a time when someone helped them. Link the idea to sharing, helping at home and caring for animals.