An unlikely partnership, staunch loyalty, and the reward for an act of generosity all receive gorgeous treatment in this new version of Aesop’s familiar tale. Rand Burkert’s retelling allows the animals’ characters to emerge through the narrative, while Nancy Ekholm Burkert’s meticulous, beautifully rendered illustrations add depth and the visual realism of the natural world to the tale. Both reteller and artist bring background to the construction of this work in their notes, including the rationale for bucking tradition by listing Mouse first in the book’s title; the smaller animal earned that honor by “clearly perform[ing] the lion’s share of the work.” (Ages 4–8)