Article
Art by Paula J. Becker
Poetry,

Nine Mice

By Jack Prelutsky
From the December 2025/January 2026 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will analyze a poem to understand its meaning.

Featured Skill: Analyze a poem
Vocabulary: despite, thawing
Topic: English Language Arts,

Standards

Magazine View
See Student View

Nine mice on tiny tricycles

went riding on the ice,

they rode in spite of warning signs,

they rode despite advice.

The signs were right, the ice was thin, 

in half a trice, the mice fell in,

and from their chins down to their toes,

those mice entirely froze.

Nine mindless mice, who paid the price,

are thawing slowly by the ice,

still sitting on their tricycles

. . . nine white and shiny micicles!

Slideshows (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (2) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Text-to-Speech