Would They Love a Lion? Book

Anna needs a little attention. There's a new baby in the house, and she's found it takes considerably more effort to get noticed these days. One night she dreams she is a bird, but when she wakes up, she isn't. "I could be a bird, said Anna. I could be. And she flapped her wings." She proceeds to transform herself into an amazing variety of species with the help of her trusty plaid bathrobe. She drapes it over her head and trundles to breakfast as a bear, growling. "A bear is too small, said Anna. No one notices a bear. I'll be an elephant." After eliminating a dinosaur (not cuddly enough) and a rabbit (too quiet) as possibilities, she finally decides to be a lion, because a lion can play, and hide, and roar... and more. At the end of the book, the whole family (including the new baby) cozies up for story hour. "Would they love a lion? Yes, they'd all love a lion." Kady MacDonald Denton's ebullient, color-splashed illustrations--especially the faces of Anna and her family--are reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's work. The bulky forms that her bathrobe assumes are perfectly, humorously evocative of the animals she's pretending to be--and every page is a delight. Kids will adore discerning the animal shapes in the bathrobe, the idea of pretending to be different creatures, and of course, the warm reassurance that Anna is loved after all. This wonderful, whimsical read-aloud belongs on every child's bookshelf. (Ages 3 to 5) --Karin SnelsonRead More