LION’S LUNCH?

This British import pits a spunky artist against a feline philistine with mixed results. When young Sarah is accosted by an angry lion, he demands to know her business. Protesting that she was just walking and singing, the lion informs her that in the jungle the animals all creep or run or sprint or slither. And as for her singing, far preferable are the growls, roars, yowls and pants of the other creatures. Though the lion has convinced himself that she does not belong and is therefore a viable foodstuff, Sarah insists that there is one thing she can do better than any animal: draw. Initially incensed by her picture of him, the lion is eventually convinced to change his angry ways and by the end Sarah is told that she is welcome to walk, sing AND draw whenever she likes. Not quite rhythmic enough to work as a large-group read-aloud, the book still makes for a satisfactory one-on-one experience. Chamberlain’s comfortably jazzy art seeks to subdue the action rather than to surprise, nicely complementing the text. (Picture book. 4-8)