Is a lion still a lion . . . if he skips down the street singing “Hoobie-doobie-doo"?
Dapper in his hat and flourishing a cane, a very large lion invites himself inside, inquires about Auntie Sue, and spins the two children of the house around the room in a silly dance. He doesn’t mind at all if they invite him to lunch, where he gobbles up all his greens and devours the plate, too. When he leans in to ask for dessert, his sharp teeth gleam oh so pearly white, and it seems very possible that he may just bite. . . . Surely it’s time to go-go-go — until, that is, the brave little girl finds her voice in a most satisfying way. The Cat in the Hat meets Pierre meets The Tiger Who Came to Tea in this rollicking story with an exhilarating ending.
"Two children must decide how far to trust a dapper lion who insinuates himself into their home.
The initial double-page spread shows an unadorned, stylized male lion glaring out at readers, vivid against the stark white pages. In emphatic black print: “This is a lion. Fierce, isn’t he? Too fierce for you? / Well….” There follow pages of humorous, gently rhyming “what if” questions regarding whether the lion is still a lion if he, for example, wears a hat and carries an umbrella. The ink-and-wash artwork is vivacious, including a wonderful, frameworthy spread of the lion, clad in his blue jacket, joyfully dancing with the two children, both light-skinned, about their house. After the lion—staying for lunch—devours both his greens and the china plate itself, he turns his attention to the children for “pudding” (the English equivalent of “dessert”). A high-alert, reddish background replaces white for the next few pages. Art and text use just the right amount of thrills, chills, and comedy to underscore the importance of saying “No” to threatening behavior—even if it was preceded by seemingly innocent fun. The layout of the book is well-suited to the ebullient art and lighthearted text. From start to finish, the spirits of Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak hover happily.Proudly shelve this near The Cat in the Hat and What Do You Say, Dear? "
(Picture book. 3-6)
Kirkuk starred Review
"After neutralising the lion’s natural threat with silliness, Dunbar turns the plot on its head with a brilliant scare-tactic, before giving the children of the tale the upper-hand. The Tiger Who Came to Tea will be an obvious point of comparison, but Dunbar’s inimitable watercolour style and her unexpected sense of humour make A Lion is a Lion every bit as original as Judith Kerr’s classic."
The Irish Times
Published by Walker Books 2018
Dapper in his hat and flourishing a cane, a very large lion invites himself inside, inquires about Auntie Sue, and spins the two children of the house around the room in a silly dance. He doesn’t mind at all if they invite him to lunch, where he gobbles up all his greens and devours the plate, too. When he leans in to ask for dessert, his sharp teeth gleam oh so pearly white, and it seems very possible that he may just bite. . . . Surely it’s time to go-go-go — until, that is, the brave little girl finds her voice in a most satisfying way. The Cat in the Hat meets Pierre meets The Tiger Who Came to Tea in this rollicking story with an exhilarating ending.
"Two children must decide how far to trust a dapper lion who insinuates himself into their home.
The initial double-page spread shows an unadorned, stylized male lion glaring out at readers, vivid against the stark white pages. In emphatic black print: “This is a lion. Fierce, isn’t he? Too fierce for you? / Well….” There follow pages of humorous, gently rhyming “what if” questions regarding whether the lion is still a lion if he, for example, wears a hat and carries an umbrella. The ink-and-wash artwork is vivacious, including a wonderful, frameworthy spread of the lion, clad in his blue jacket, joyfully dancing with the two children, both light-skinned, about their house. After the lion—staying for lunch—devours both his greens and the china plate itself, he turns his attention to the children for “pudding” (the English equivalent of “dessert”). A high-alert, reddish background replaces white for the next few pages. Art and text use just the right amount of thrills, chills, and comedy to underscore the importance of saying “No” to threatening behavior—even if it was preceded by seemingly innocent fun. The layout of the book is well-suited to the ebullient art and lighthearted text. From start to finish, the spirits of Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak hover happily.Proudly shelve this near The Cat in the Hat and What Do You Say, Dear? "
(Picture book. 3-6)
Kirkuk starred Review
"After neutralising the lion’s natural threat with silliness, Dunbar turns the plot on its head with a brilliant scare-tactic, before giving the children of the tale the upper-hand. The Tiger Who Came to Tea will be an obvious point of comparison, but Dunbar’s inimitable watercolour style and her unexpected sense of humour make A Lion is a Lion every bit as original as Judith Kerr’s classic."
The Irish Times
Published by Walker Books 2018