It was the quirky illustrations in this book that made me first pick it up. Then I read it to my four-year-old and we both loved the twists (which I won’t spoil by letting you know!)!
A classic and a favourite in our house – I loved it even before I had children. With a limited colour palette, Duviosin’s illustrations are stylish and expressive. This tale follows a Happy Lion in France who, after escaping the small zoo where he lives, is surprised that people, who loved visiting him there, are now scared of him.
Leonard the lion, who is gentle and kind, is different to the other lions he meets. He likes to talk about poetry and philosophy with his like-minded friend Marianne the duck. When Leonard encounters a group of bullies in the park, they threaten to chomp Marianne before turning on Leonard for not being fierce enough. Leonard and Marianne work together to communicate to the bullies that there is more than one way to be a lion.
This is a touching and warm story about friendship and standing up to bullies. Ed’s squiggly lines create oodles of character and the book is beautifully designed. It champions staying true to oneself and sticking to one’s principles. This is an inspiring and adorable picture book about a pair of unlikely friends who face down a pack of bullies.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments