The Little Lion That Listened - Nicholas Tana - ★★★★.½

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AUTHOR: Nicholas Tana
GENRE: Children's Picture Book
PUBLICATION DATE: August 10, 2021
RATING: 4.5 stars.

Do you choose a book by its cover? I do, many times. And this is one such occasion. What a treat to the eyes this cover is! Those huge brown eyes peeking from behind the leaves, the vivid contrasting amalgamation of reds and yellows and teal… Does the content of the book match up to the cover?

It sure does!

Leo, the lion cub, lives in a happy family with his parents and two elder siblings. Everything is fine except for one thing: Leo doesn’t roar. His dad wants his son to roar. His mom knows that when the time comes, he will. Though Leo ends up saving their lives twice, his dad is still worried that he can’t or won’t roar. But when there is an emergency, it is Leo who saves the day with his mighty roar. Does the book end on this happy note that Leo finally learnt to roar? Nope! The true end is the last line of the book; the line that shows that Leo hasn’t changed his basic personality, he doesn’t misuse his strength, and he knows how to make best use of his abilities when needed. After all, he is “the little lion that listened”, not the little lion who roared.

I loved this sweet story. It shows parental frustrations as well as parental acceptance. It shows children that they needn’t change their behaviour to suit others’ expectations, as long as they know what’s right. It also proves the importance of listening in the art of communication.

The book is NOT written in rhythmic verse, which is such a welcome change. I’m tired of reading kiddie books where the authors forcefully work in rhymes even where it isn’t feasible. This book is written in very simple words and in a clear font, so as to facilitate storytelling adults as well as early independent readers.

As much as I loved the content, the illustrations steal the thunder. Oh my! I haven’t ever seen such type of sketches in storybooks: the geometric shading of the animals lends a unique touch to the book. The drawings are vibrant and almost leap off the page with their charm.

Recommended to all young readers. Be a good lion and don’t forget to listen!

Thank you, NetGalley and New Classics Books, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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