When the circus comes to Gopher Gulch, Mouse thinks it might be a good home. Lion, however, wants to escape from his cage in the circus to be free. When the circus tent blows away in the tornado, Lion gets his wish, at least for the time being. Mouse, however, is left looking for another place to make her home and soon runs into Lion where he’s hiding in the Magic Forest.

Will the brave little mouse keep her freedom? And if she does, will she ever be able to repay Lion for letting her go? Will Lion be caught with all the other animals, so he has to return to the circus? Or will he find a new home too?

Based on the Aesop’s Fable, The Lion and the Mouse, this chapter book fable retelling takes beginner readers into the old west when circuses first began. If you’re looking for children’s books on values, you’ll find its themes of kindness, and helping, inspire young readers.