Before you start to read this entertaining book with your littlies, brainstorm all the words they associate with the image of a lion.
Most likely, the word "fierce" will be among those suggested.
BUT... is a lion still a lion if he wears a hat? Or carries an umbrella? Is he still fierce and angry and scary and any of those other words that were suggested?
Or does any of the other seemingly friendly things that this lion does when he comes to visit in this hilarious but cautionary tale?
Is there a reason we are warned to "never smile at a crocodile" or that "a leopard doesn't change its spots"?
Rhythmic text and engaging illustrations carry this story at a rollicking pace, rather like an old-fashioned vaudeville act where you want to yell out and warn the children that there is a dastardly villain hiding in the wings and all is not what it seems! Provoke discussions about why the lion is dressing up and being so nice; draw parallels with the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood; start a conversation about stranger danger; and investigate the message of "You can't judge a book by its cover." But most importantly, enjoy a fun read!
40 pages 9781406371536 (Australia) 978-0763697310 (U.S.) Ages 3-7
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
******** Is a lion still a lion if he wears a hat? With whimsical illustrations and a nod to earlier classics, Polly Dunbar celebrates the shrewd mind of a child — and the power of saying no.
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.--from the publisher
