This book has been a favorite of mine for years. ( )

In this retelling of Androcles and the Lion, Andy meets lion on the way to school and wins his friendship for life by removing a thorn from his paw.

Andy loves lions! He reads about them in books. One day on his way to school, he helps a lion get a thorn out of his paw. The two part ways, and the lion was very grateful that Andy had helped him. In the spring, when the circus came to town, the same lion happened to scare everyone. Andy went right up to the lion and calmed him down. Everyone thought Andy was very brave. This is a great book to show children to do the right thing. ( )

I love this book. It's a great retelling of the fable of Androcles and the Lion--already a good reason to read it--but it's also beautifully paced for a read-aloud, and is full of fresh, funny details, like Andy's convenient back-pocket pliers, and the way the characters tumble head-over-heels as the thorn is taken from the paw. The book was first published in 1938, but my first graders were charmed. ( )

Originally published in 1938, and awarded a Caldecott Honor in 1939 - the medal-winner that year was Thomas Handforth's Mei Li - this charming picture-book follows the story of Andy, a lion-obsessed young boy who has an unexpected encounter with his favorite subject. Checking out a book about lions from the library one day, Andy is so engrossed that he reads through dinner, listening to his grandfather's stories of hunting lions in the evening. On his way to school the very next day, Andy happens upon a lion in need of help, and goes to his assistance, forming a friendship that stands the test of time, when the lions returns much later, as part of a circus act...

I was reminded here, both by the story and by its subtitle - "A Tale of Kindness Remembered or the Power of Gratitude" - of the Aesopic fable of Androcles and the Lion, with the boy doing the lion a kindness, and then being ecstatically greeted (and not harmed) by the lion in turn. This one is a little long for a picture-book - it is divided up into very brief chapters, or parts - but for slightly older picture-book audiences, I think it will be a winner. The story is engaging (and emphasizes the importance of the library!), and the artwork, done in black and white with brown accents, is exuberant and full of fun. Recommended to young readers who enjoy animal stories! ( )