When Your Lion Needs a Bath – Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

         When Your Lion Needs a Bath – Susanna Leonard Hill, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman, Little Simon, (9781481495028), 2017

Format: Board Book

Rating: 1- 5 (5 is excellent or a Starred review)  4

Genre:   Picture Book

What did you like about the book?  A narrator instructs a little boy on how-to get a lion to take a bath.  The book opens with a wide-mouthed grinning lion covered in dirt, with branches and leaves sticking out of its mane. “Uh-oh. Someone’s smelly.”  The little boy is told he must be very sneaky because, just like all cats, lions hate water.  The boy gets everything ready and then tries a variety of tricks to get the lion into the tub.  He is finally successful, but unfortunately he left the front door open.  The lion runs outside into a giant mud puddle.  “Looks like your lion needs another bath…and so do you.” The bright colorful illustrations add to the humor of the storyline.  This is one to share with children who do not like to take baths.

Anything you didn’t like about it?  No

To whom would you recommend this book?  This is a fun story to share with children who hate taking baths and those who love funny stories.

Who should buy this book?  Public libraries

Where would you shelve it? Board Books

Should we (librarians/readers) put this at the top of our “to read” piles? No

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:  Catherine Coyne, Mansfield Public Library, Mansfield, MA

Date of review:  7/29/17