Review: A Lion is a Lion

Let's be honest, lions are pretty scary, right? Completely fierce. But Polly Dunbar, creator of the much-loved Tilly and Friends series, wants to know if we'd still think a lion was fierce if he wore a hat, carried an umbrella and skipped down the street singing, 'hoobie-doobie-doo'.

When this dapper lion arrives at the door of two children and asks to come in for lunch, the children must decide if the ever-so polite lion is to be trusted.

Januty, fun and just a little bit wicked, this delightful new release brightens the deeper message for children that it's OK to say no if something makes you feel uncomfortable. It's OK to assert yourself and take a stand against the things that scare you.

That's what the two children do, when the lion gobbles up his greens and then feasts his eyes on them for pudding. And that's exactly what my five-year-old did when the lion revealed his true predatory colours. Just as the children closed the door on the lion, my daughter closed the book, declaring the lion much too scary. He is a lion after all.

Title: A Lion is a Lion
Author/Illustrator: Polly Dunbar
Publisher: Walker Books, $24.99
Publication Date: February 2018
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781406371536
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book