In this wordless picturebook, Pinkney's illustrations shine through, depicting stunning details and a compelling narrative.  This book is absolutely perfect for teaching children how to read images--how can you tell that one of the characters is in pain?  Or afraid?  It's also perfect for beginning to teach children about Aesop and other various fable-writers.  Because it's wordless, it's perfect for younger children, too.  For a lot of people, it's easier to connect with pictures than with words, which makes this book so apt.

Overall, this is a beautiful picture book that I believe will remain relevant for a very long time.

Review cross-listed here!