King Lion by Emma Yarlett (review)

Reviewed by: King Lion by Emma Yarlett Cassidy Russell Yarlett, Emma King Lion; written and illus. by Emma Yarlett. Candlewick, 2024 32p Trade ed. ISBN 9781536231496 17. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-6 yrs A lion rules over a city-like kingdom, yearning for a friend, but all the animal and human residents are scared of him, unable to see past his dripping teeth, sharp claws, and terrifying roars. He's almost given up on happiness when a little girl, who is also lonely, decides to break past his defenses. When she confronts him, the little girl hears the sadness behind his roars and gently asks him to be friends, hugging his nose and leading him on a walk through the city to meet others in the kingdom. Yarlett's text and images flow seamlessly together and are full of visual humor that will make for an engaging second read (at one point, the text says that the king is cracking a joke and the accompanying vignette reveals that the king is yelling "JOKE!!!" at a turtle hiding in its shell). The hand-lettered text throughout the story adds to the drawings' sense of whimsy, but the mix of cursive-like letters makes it a better choice for a read-aloud than for a kiddo to tackle alone. Vibrant pinks, golds, and teals are made up of layered, hand-rendered mixed media drawings and collage, adding depth to a simple story about how even the most important people can be lonely. The drawings joyfully burst off the page in a puppet-like dance—movement begging to be copied by wiggling bodies at storytime. End Page 302 Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois