How to be a Lion

By Author / Illustrator

Ed Vere, Ed Vere

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

3+

Publisher

Penguin Random House Children's UK

ISBN

9780141376363

Format

Paperback / softback

Reviews

Kyle

Although not a thrilling and exciting story, How to be a Lion still delivers an important message to children about always being yourself, despite what others say. It encourages following your own path and not the path that others believe you should take. I feel that this is a very important message for children to learn, especially in today's social media age where everyone feels judged for not being like others. Leonard is the lion in question in our story, which begins with the lesson that there is only one way to be a lion - you have to be fierce, you have crunch, you have to chomp and you cannot be gentle. But then we meet Leonard - a lion who loves nothing more than walks in the sun, humming and thinking up poems. Leonard is not like any other lion. Soon enough, Leonard meets a new friend in the form of Marianne the duck, she too enjoys many of the things that Leonard does and together they become the best of friends. This does not go down well with the other lions who tell Leonard he must chomp the duck to be like a real lion. Saddened by this prospect, Leonard retires to his thinking hill and, once joined by Marianne, conjures up a plan to prove the other lions wrong. This story works brilliantly on all levels and the illustrations are simple yet beautiful. I can see myself using this text in the classroom environment and would recommend to others who work with children. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 3+

 

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