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Hampton-Brown
Whos Got Game?
The Lion or the Mouse?
by Toni & Slade Morrison
T
his clever update of Aesops fable
asks the question: What makes
someone powerful? King Lion believes
it is physical strength alone, and he
bullies any animal who gets in his way.
But when mighty Lion nds himself
in a prickly situation, only weak, little
Mouse is willing to save him. While Lion
retreats to nurse his wounded pride and
paw, Mouse amuses the other animals
with his attempts to assume the mantle
of the most powerful animal on the
savannah. Mouses hilarious yet foolish
antics lead Lion to reect on his own
behavior and reach some startling new
insights about bulliesand himself.
Reading Level (Lexile) 490L
Format/Length Graphic novel; 32 pages
Picture Support Substantial
Language Register Literary
Content Load Folk tale
Related Skills
Comprehension and Critical Thinking
Cause and Effect
Classify Ideas
Make Comparisons
Reading and Learning Strategies
Make and Conrm Predictions
About the Authors
Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison recently joined forces with her son, Slade
Morrison, to adapt a number of traditional Aesops fables into modern retellings for todays readers.
The graphic novel format of these retellings engage readers of all ages, while the classic tales are
cleverly extended and reimagined to make them even more relevant to our lives today.
Collection A, Unit 1
Identity
Whos Got Game?
Roberto Clemente
A Library for Juana
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Think About What You Know
Power Aesops fables often use animals to teach important
concepts about human behavior. Whos Got Game? The Lion or
the Mouse? focuses on two characters who learn what it means to
be powerful. To prepare students for understanding the concept
of power and how it relates to humans and animals:
Discuss with students what they think the attributes of
powerful people are (i.e., condent, assertive, inuential).
Have students name animals that they think are powerful
and why.
Then have students write down three things that make
them powerful on Student Journal, page 3.
Preview and Predict
Have students look at the front cover, read the title, and then
read the summary on the back cover. Say:
The title says, Whos Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?
What the title is asking is, Who is better? The lion or the
mouse? Which animal do you think is smarter or more
powerful? Why?
Then point out The Exchange question on the title page:
What makes someone powerful? Explain that when they
nish reading, theyll share their ideas about this and
other questions with a group.
Next, have students complete Student Journal, page 3 to
preview the book and make predictions about how the
characters change during the story.
As students page through the book, point out the format
of a graphic novel and how to read it:
look at one panel or frame at a time
start at the top of each frame and read left to right,
then down
use the different shapes to see who is speaking:
the rectangular boxes contain narration, the speech
balloons contain dialogue, and the thought bubbles
show what the character is thinking
Student Journal, page 3
Prepare to Read
Think About What You Know
How are you powerful? Name three ways.
Preview and Predict
Look at the front cover.
Read the book summary on the back cover.
Read The Exchange question on the title page.
1. Page through the book and look at the illustrations. How do you think
the characters change during the story?
2. Look at the format of the book. How is a graphic novel different from
other books you have read? Explain what you like or do not like about
the format.
Whos Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?
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Whos Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?
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Use a Reading Strategy
Cause and Effect Chart Preview the graphic organizer on Student
Journal, page 4 with students. Explain that as they read Whos Got Game?
The Lion or the Mouse?, they can ll in the Cause and Effect Chart to
record what causes the characters to change. Have students add to their
Charts after reading each section.
Use a Reading Strategy
Use a Cause and Effect Chart
As you read Whos Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse?, use a Cause and Effect
Chart to record what causes Lion and Mouse to change.
4
Causes Effects
so
so
so
so
so
so
Lion was King of the land.
Lion was not nice to the
other animals.
Mouse offered to help Lion.
Mouse tried to act and look like
a lion.
Mouse complained to Lion.
The animals laughed even more
and Mouse moved into Lions
den.
Lion thought he was better
than the other animals.
They wouldnt help Lion.
Lion agreed not to eat Mouse
and to be his friend.
The other animals laughed at
Mouse.
Lion made Mouse a lion
costume.
Lion left his den and learned a
valuable lesson.
Student Journal, page 4
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Read the Book
Form the group that will read Whos Got Game? The Lion or
the Mouse? Plan how the group will read and respond. Some
options are:
Read with a Small Group Have students read in groups
of three, with two students reading the dialogue for Lion and
Mouse, and one student reading the parts of the narrator and
other characters. Have students complete the Student Journal
page after each section. Encourage them to plan their reading
sessions, using the planner on Student Journal, page 2 to
establish meeting times.
Read Independently Group members read the book on
their own and then meet for The Exchange. The group can
use the planner on Student Journal, page 2 to establish the
meeting time.
Guided Reading Read aloud the summary at the beginning
of each section to give students an overview of the section. Use
the Before You Move On questions to check comprehension
as students read. Use Look Ahead to set a focus for reading
the next set of pages. At the end of each section, assign the
appropriate Student Journal page. Discuss the page before
starting the next section. Establish a date for The
Exchange and record it on the planner.
Whichever option you choose, use pages 56 for an
at-a-glance view of Student Journal pages, as well as
answers to the Before You Move On questions.
Student Journal, page 2
Plan Your Schedule
My group members are:
___________________________________________________________________________________
We plan to read Whos Got Game? The Lion or the Mouse? and meet on these dates:
Sections Date We Will Finish Reading Date We Will Discuss
1: Pages 516
2: Pages 1732
Our Exchange meeting will be on this date: .
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Student Journal, page 5
CKAF1k 1: Fages 5-18
Respond to "Amerlcan Names"
Character Map
Review whaI happehed ih Ihe chapIer.
Fill ih Ihe CharacIer Map oh 1ournaI page 4.
Thlnk It Over
1hihk abouI whaI you read ahd ahswer Ihese quesIiohs.
1. PersonaI esponse How is your !amily Ihe same as ArIuro's? How is iI
di!!erehI?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. 5imiIes WhaI are your !avoriIe similes ih "Americah Names"? 1ell whaI Iwo
Ihihgs are beihg compared.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. CharacIer WhaI is ArIuro like? Is he Ihe kihd o! persoh you IhoughI he would
be? Lxplaih your ahswer.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
1OUNAL PAGE fAC5IMILE
PIaced aI 39%, cenIered in box
so no !ooIer in!o shovs.
Section 1: Pages 516
Respond to Pages 516
Cause and Effect Chart
Review what happened. Write three causes and effects on the Chart on
Journal page 4.
Think It Over
Write the answers to these questions.
1. Personal Response The little mouse helped the big lion. When have you
done something you didnt think you could do?
2. Classify Ideas When you classify things, you put them in a group. Look
for words in this book that are about the same thing. Put them in the
same group and give the group a name such as Things in Nature, Tasks to
Do, and Animals.
3. Make Predictions Will Lion act differently now or will he still think he is
more powerful than the other animals? Why or why not?

Things in Nature: grass, rocks, trees, bushes; Tasks to Do:
delivering ice cream, oors to sweep, xing the roof,
taking care of a sick mother, picking fruit; Animals: lion,
tiger, hyena, elephant, monkey, mouse
Student Journal, page 5
Pages 516
Section 1
ANSWERS TO BEFORE YOU MOVE ON
PAGE 11
1. Conict Lion fell and got a thorn stuck in his paw. Why would
no one help him?
He thought he was better than the rest of the animals and was
mean to them. He was not their friend.
2. Comparisons Reread page 10 and think about the beginning
of the story. What is different about how Lion talks and acts?
Lion realizes he is not so powerful; he looks small, foolish,
and weak.
PAGE 16
1. Character Mouse nally helped Lion. Reread pages 13 and 16.
What was Mouse like?
Mouse was timid and weak, but kind because he overlooked Lions
faults to help him; he was wise because he wanted to be sure Lion
wouldnt eat him.
2. Summarize Why was Lion the saddest in all the land?
He was hurt and could not help himself and no one would help him.
He was powerless without others.
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Pages 1732
Section 2
ANSWERS TO BEFORE YOU MOVE ON
PAGE 22
1. Inference Mouse woke up and thought he was a lion. Why?
His deed of helping Lion was something he never thought would
happen. He didnt feel weak anymore but felt as if he was powerful
like Lion.
2. Plot Why did Mouse go to Lion for help?
He did all of the things that Lion did, but everybody laughs at him.
He was angry and frustrated and wanted Lion to help him.
PAGE 27
1. Summarize Reread what Mouse said on page 23. What did
Mouse believe someone needed to be a king?
He believed that a person needed to look a certain way to be
a king.
2. Paraphrase Reread page 27. What did Mouse mean when he
said, Laughter cant reach behind your door?
He could live happily as a king because no one could laugh at him if
they didnt see him.
PAGE 32
1. Character Lion leaves his den. Describe how Lion changed.
Give examples.
He was not a bully anymore; he didnt boast about how great
he was; he gave up his den, his cloak and his crown; he sang a
wiser tune.
2. Summarize Reread pages 30 and 31. Tell what Lion learned.
He learned that it doesnt matter what you look like, how big or
small or how powerful you are, if you are happy with who you are.
Bullies are people who dont have true self-condence.
Student Journal, page 6
Section 2: Pages 1732
Respond to Pages 1732
Cause and Effect Chart
Complete the Cause and Effect Chart on Journal page 4.
Think It Over
Write the answers to these questions.
1. Personal Response Lion was wiser at the end of the story. What is an
experience that you have had that has made you wiser?
2. Conrm Predictions Check the prediction you made after the rst part.
Did you think that Lion would change? Compare your prediction with
what happened in the book. How is it the same? How is it different?
3. Comparisons Compare the way Lion lived to the way Mouse lived at the
end of the story.
Mouse was hiding in Lions old house, complaining. Lion
was out in the savannah sending a wise message to all
the animals.
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Allow time for groups to meet for The Exchange. If you plan to participate, use
these tips for guiding students in discussing the big question:
What makes someone powerful?
How would Lion answer this question in the beginning of the story? Would
he have the same answer at the end of the story? Explain.
In the beginning of the story Lion would probably say that size and strength make
someone powerful. But after he gets hurt he learns that having friends and being
condent in who you are makes someone powerful.
Mouse thinks that acting like a lion will make him powerful. Have you ever
tried to act like, or look like someone other than yourself? What happened?
How did others treat you?
Mouse thinks that Lion is powerful. Name someone that you think is
powerful. Why? Are you powerful?
Extend the Reading
Write a Story Extension Role-Play Discuss Themes
Review the important
elements of a graphic
novel, such as story panels,
illustrations, and the
treatment for dialogue and
narration. Then have partners
write and illustrate a story
that explains what happens
next to Lion or Mouse.
Have partners role-play a
scene in which Lion and
Mouse talk about what it
means to be powerful. Then
have the class vote to decide
which of the two animals
deserves to be King of the
savannah.
Remind students that Aesops
fables use animals to teach
lessons about humans. Have
small groups discuss how the
story would be the same or
different if the characters
were humans instead of
animals. Then have them share
their ideas with the class.
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