The Show-and-Tell Lion

by Barbara Abercrombie, Lynne Avril (Illustrator)

Overview

When Matthew tells his class that he has a pet lion, he has no idea what he's getting himself into. The more he talks, the bigger his story grows. How can Matthew use his wonderful imagination to make his show-and-tell lion real?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689864087
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	07/01/2006
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD560L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Barbara Abercrombie, an author of books for both children and adults, teaches creative writing in the Writers' Program at UCLA Extension and conducts writing workshops for the Wellness Community. She lives with her husband in Santa Monica, California, and Twin Bridges, Montana.

Lynne Avril is the illustrator of several books for children, including The Penny Pot by Stuart J. Murphy; He Saves the Day by Marsha Hayles; and One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy. Ms. Cravath lives with her family in Phoenix, Arizona. Visit her online at lynneavril.com

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 1-Matthew has nothing to share for show-and-tell, so he informs his class that a lion is living at his house. Everyone believes him, and this initial lie spawns many others, as the boy must answer questions about his pet's daily activities and invent fresh excuses as to why no one can come to see it. Eventually Matthew confesses the situation to his mother, who tells him he must be honest with his classmates. The boy puts all his stories into a book and explains to the children that the lion was only real in his head, an explanation they readily accept. The idea that all of the students would have believed him in the first place strains credulity, as does the fact that his deceptions would be so easily forgiven. However, the story could spark discussions about the value of honesty and facing up to bad decisions. Cravath's chalk pastel and acrylic illustrations have a pleasant hazinesss appropriate to the theme of fantasy blending into reality. Evaline Ness's Sam, Bangs and Moonshine (Holt, 1966) is a stronger book, but this one would be a useful addition for larger collections.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

It's Matthew's turn to share at show-and-tell, but he can't think of a thing to say. Suddenly, he finds himself telling the class that he has a pet lion that sleeps at the foot of his bed. Everyone-even his teacher-wants to know more. In the days that follow, Matthew embellishes his story. He describes the lion, Larry, in detail, and tells the class what Larry eats and how much he's growing. Matthew is also careful to come up with reasons the lion is too busy for visitors. Eventually, though, Matthew realizes he can't keep his secret any longer, so he turns to his mother for advice. She encourages him to tell the truth, and Matthew comes up with a way to make everyone happy: He'll write down Larry's story, illustrate it with his own drawings and share it with his friends at show-and-tell. Glowing chalk pastel pictures complement the text, and Matthew's story ends on a comforting note that perfectly embodies the importance of creativity, honesty and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews