A scowling lion on page one dons a hat, skips down the street, wipes his feet on the front mat, and inquires after the health of Auntie Sue. Is a lion still a lion if he behaves nicely, and says please when asking for pudding? “Yes! A lion is a lion is a lion!” When he shows his teeth and roars, is it time to hide, or is it time to say “No!” and shoo that lion out the door? A jaunty text and playful illustrations encourage readers to trust their instincts and say no if something doesn’t feel safe without ever becoming overly heavy-handed or didactic. The empowered children who chase the lion from their home know they are not obligated to be polite to someone who is trying to hurt them, even when that someone is large and powerful. (Ages 3–6)

Is a lion still a lion if he wears a hat? With whimsical illustrations and a nod to earlier classics, Polly Dunbar celebrates the shrewd mind of a child — and the power of saying no.

Is a lion still a lion . . . if he skips down the street singing “Hoobie-doobie-doo"?

Dapper in his hat and flourishing a cane, a very large lion invites himself inside, inquires about Auntie Sue, and spins the two children of the house around the room in a silly dance. He doesn’t mind at all if they invite him to lunch, where he gobbles up all his greens and devours the plate, too. When he leans in to ask for dessert, his sharp teeth gleam oh so pearly white, and it seems very possible that he may just bite. . . . Surely it’s time to go-go-go — until, that is, the brave little girl finds her voice in a most satisfying way. The Cat in the Hat meets Pierre meets The Tiger Who Came to Tea in this rollicking story with an exhilarating ending.