Nicolas, Where Have You Been?

This book was really interesting to read. It's good example to show anyone that although some things in the past aren't good, you can change it. ( )

This book follows a common theme for Leo Lionni; individual differences. This book tells a story about mice and birds. The mice assume the worst of the birds and label all birds the same. Nicholas soon learns that this is not true when he gets taken care of by a family of birds. The mice learn that not everyone who is different is bad. Some people have differences that are assets and they should be accepting of those differences. ( )

This book could be used in the classroom to explain to students how differences in people do not mean they are bad or hurtful in any way. Just because one person is different and mean does not mean we can judge everyone you meet because of it.

Nicolas, where have you been? tells the story about Nicolas the mouse who gets carried away by a big bird while collecting berries with his friends. He lives with the birds, they give him berries and they have fun. When he comes back to his friends he wants to tell them what happened but when they hear about the bird they get angry because the birds always get the good red berries before the mice. At the end Nicolas' friends the birds come and bring berries for all of them, and Nicolas' friends decide that “one bad bird doesn't make a flock”. This is a good opportunity to teach children about getting rid of prejudices against others ( )

As young Nicolas sets out on his journey across the meadow to gather berries, he is picked up by the claws of a huge bird! This is just the beginning of Nicolas' journey! Children will love traveling with Nicolas as he finds the berries and learns to trust some very unsuspecting animals. The reading level for this book is 2.9. For more about this author, parents and teachers should visit www.randomhouse.com/kids/lionni