Lion vs. Rabbit

PreS-Gr 2—Lion is nasty to his fellow jungle animals: he gives Buffalo "a wedgie," sticks a note saying "I'm a horse" on Zebra's back, and steals Hyena's "lunch monkey." The beleaguered creatures decide to place an online advertisement for a protector, but the respondents can't compete with Lion's boxing, fencing, and arm-wrestling prowess. When a small rabbit arrives, Lion assumes certain victory. The king of the jungle is surprised when he fails miserably at besting the bunny at marshmallow eating, hopping, and painting competitions. After losing the final "race to the top of the mountain" challenge, Lion admits defeat and promises to stop bullying the animals. Latimer's digital colored-pencil illustrations humorously capture the funny details of the contests, such as Lion's paint-splattered stick drawing of a dinosaur compared to Rabbit's rendition of the Mona Lisa (with bunny ears). Readers will laugh at the surprise revelation that a colony of wily rabbits was in on the success. This quirky twist on "The Tortoise and the Hare" is a winner.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada