Lion Lessons

Disregarding a city block full of advertised classes (baking, karate, knitting, yoga), a small but determined little boy heads straight into the building offering "Lion Lessons." The instructor, a real lion whose diploma reads "Harvard School of Claw," teaches using a seven-step method. Lion and boy start with some easy stretches, shown in comical spot art, but from there the lessons go downhill. Full of personality and wry details, the cartoon illustrations, with their bold, confident lines, show the awkwardness and frustration growing between teacher and student (now in lion costume) with each step, from "Looking Fierce" to "Roaring" to "Prowling Around." The young lion-in-training is not very fierce, loud, or stealthy (as he struggles to keep his tail under control). "The lion checked my scores. 'This is not very promising.'" Only during the seventh step, "Looking Out for Your Friends," does the boy manage to turn everything around with his instinctive kitten-rescuing skills. The text's well-timed humor and pacing work seamlessly with the expressive art to create an outstanding read-aloud and a rewarding story. julie roach

A boy heads into a building offering "Lion Lessons." The instructor (a real lion) and the boy start with some stretches, but the lessons go downhill; the young lion-in-training is not very fierce, loud, or stealthy. Full of personality and wry details, the cartoon illustrations, with their bold, confident lines, work seamlessly with the text's well-timed humor and pacing.