Nicolas, Where Have You Been?

Nicolas and not Nicholas is back in print after a long hiatus. "Nicolas, Where Have You Been?" is rich in potential for a variety text comprehension activities. [...]. Monique Richard Professor Emeritus School of ECE Ryerson University

Leo Lionni's NICHOLAS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? tells of one Nicholas Mouse, who is carried away by a big ugly bird while hunting for sweet red berries. Days later when he returns home his loyal friends decide to begin a war on birds - and Nicholas is still trying to tell his complete story! The moral is that one bard bird doesn't make a flock...and is well done.

I can't say that I have ever read a children's book quite like this one. It has a depth of thought and plot that you just don't see in most children's books. The story line is pretty well explained by the "School Library Journal" reviewer in the Editorial Review section so I won't rehash it. However, what they don't tell you is that there are two pages towards the end of the book on which the angry mice's desires are illustrated (though thankfully not acted out). Because they have not heard all of Nicholas' story, the angry mice envision chasing the birds with pointed sticks and hurting them. It is very poignant and both my husband and I were at first shocked to see the images. Thankfully, our children (5 and 3) hadn't a clue as to what was happening except that the birds were being 'scared off' by the mice. So why, with our obvious reservations, did I give this book 5 stars? Principally, because the message of tolerance is important. As is the message that you should wait to hear 'all of a story' before drawing a conclusion. My children are young and sheltered. My 3 year old thought that the mice were 'painting' the one bird with red paint. However, this is a book that I think is more than appropriate for older children and we will keep it to provide the valuable lessons that it can teach. Five stars. Can be read to young children, but contains violent images. Note: Leo Lionni was on my entering Kindergartener's Summer Reading List and most of his works are non-controversial.