Amos and Boris

by William Steig, William Steig (Illustrator)

Overview

Amos the mouse and Boris the whale: a devoted pair of friends with nothing at all in common, except good hearts and a willingness to help their fellow mammal. They meet after Amos sets out to sail the sea and finds himself in extreme need of rescue. And there will come a day, long after Boris has gone back to a life at sea and Amos has gone back to life on dry land, when the tiny mouse must find a way to rescue the great whale.

Amos & Boris is a 1971 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, Notable Children's Book of the Year, and Outstanding Book of the Year.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312535667
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	09/15/2009
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	42,843
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD910L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

William Steig (1907-2003) was a cartoonist, illustrator and author of award-winning books for children, including Shrek!, on which the DreamWorks movies are based; the Caldecott Medal-winner Sylvester and the Magic Pebble; The Caldecott Honor book The Amazing Bone; and the Newbury Honor Books Abel's Island and Doctor De Soto. Stieg also published thirteen collections of drawings for adults, including The Lonely Ones, Male/Female, and Our Miserable Life.

Reading Group Guide

Animal Exploration
Begin a discussion about the characteristics of mammals (e.g., mammals nurse their young, mammals are warm-blooded, mammals have hair). Ask students to compare and contrast the characteristics of Amos and Boris, and to determine if they are mammals. Then have students choose a mammal or an ocean animal to research. If students have access to the Internet, Web sites such as the Monterey Bay
Aquarium's E-Quarium and the Birmingham Zoo will offer them information on a wide range of animal species. Students should produce a written report about their animal and share their research with the class to teach them about a variety of animals.

Faraway Friends
Amos and Boris missed each other while they were apart. Discuss methods of staying in touch with a special person who is far away (e.g., phone calls, e-mail, letterwriting). Review the format of a friendly letter, and ask students to compose a letter and send it to a special person. Students may enjoy sharing the response to their letters with the class.

Packing Up
Review what Amos brings with him on his ocean journey. Then discuss the specific items necessary for a variety of excursions. What do you need if you are going hiking? What if you are going fishing? What if you are going on safari in Africa? In small groups, have students choose a destination and create a list of appropriate items for their journey. Each group's list should be presented to, and critiqued by, the rest of the class.

Mighty Mouse
Read to the class a version of Aesop's "The Lion and the Mouse." Ask them to compare and contrast this book and the fable. To demonstrate graphically how the two stories overlap, record their similarities and differences on a Venn diagram.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 1-3-- A mouse named Amos builds a boat and sets off to sea. In one unfortunate moment, he finds himself cast overboard in the middle of the ocean. As he contemplates his death by drowning, Boris the whale emerges. This Spanish translation is wonderfully told and will be a natural for storytime. The watercolor illustrations capture the emotions of the two very unlikely companions who become best friends.

School Library Journal

A simple, matter-of-fact story about friendship. Lovely watercolor pictures and a funny, well-written text which presents its plot coincidences in tongue-in-cheek manner fit together admirably in this faintly Aesopian tale.” —Starred, School Library Journal

“There is no question that Steig's affectionately witty pictures and perfectly complementary narration make this a durable picture book friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The book is funny and earnest, pellucid and profound.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A simple, matter-of-fact story about the friendship between a mouse and a whale. . .Lovely watercolor pictures and a funny, well-written text which presents its plot coincidences in tongue-in-cheek manner fit together admirably in this faintly Aesopian tale.” —Starred, School Library Journal

From the Publisher