FICTION

The Cowardly Lion

by BINGBO
illus. by Jianming Zhou. 32p. Starfish Bay. Jul. 2016. pap. $9.99. ISBN 9781760360221.
COPY ISBN
PreS-K—Telulu is a big, strong lion who is frightened by everything, even a leaf falling from a tree. He meets several animals in succession, and each one makes him run away in terror. As he runs, he grows smaller and smaller, until he is the size of a mouse. When Telulu meets a mouse, his fear is matched by the mouse's fear, and they decide to become friends. The circular narrative of this folktalelike story leads to Telulu later rescuing the mouse when she is entrapped, causing Telulu to grow. He saves several other creatures, each time growing larger, until a leaf falls from a tree and he's frightened again and grows smaller. The text is disjointed, and the ending is abrupt, and the colored pencil drawings are derivative (the deer looks very much like Bambi).
VERDICT Subpar illustrations and choppy writing mar this story of a fearful lion; give this one a miss.
Reviewed by Ramarie Beaver, Plano Public Library System, TX , Jul 01, 2016

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BOOKS

Zoomi and Zoe and the Sibling Situation
by Haydu, Corey Ann
BOOKS

Little Mouse Saves The Day (A First Comic for Brand-New Readers)
by Smith, Jeff
BOOKS

Earl & Worm #2: The Big Mess and Other Stories
by Pizzoli, Greg
BOOKS

Gertrude Gish on a Dish on a Fish: A Seuss Studios Book
by Hwang, Sarah
BOOKS

Sports Are Fun!
by Avant-garde, Zaila
BOOKS

Lissa Loves Bugs
by Blom, Tracy
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?