Reach for the Moon, Little Lion

by Hildegard Muller

Overview

Size is just a matter of perspective in this charming story about a little lion who is much, much smaller than the rest. The other animals laugh at him and tell him that real lions are so very big, they can touch the moon with a paw. When a friendly raven discovers the little lion atop a hill, sadly gazing at the moon, the wise bird tells him that to touch the moon, he must reach for it. The next night, Raven brings all the animals to the base of the hill, where at the tippy-top, Little Lion stretches his paw as far as he can. From where the animals are standing, it is clear: Little Lion can touch the moon . . . and no one ever doubts him again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823437771
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	01/30/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.25(w) x 7.61(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Hildegard Müller works as a graphic designer, illustrator, and author and lives in Germany. Her book The Cowboy won the most prestigious award for children's books in Germany, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis. In a starred review Kirkus noted, "It's rare to find a real story in a book that brand-new readers can tackle alone—Anna and Toto and the cowboy certainly deliver."

Editorial Reviews

"With its empowering message, this picture book will spark discussions on bullying and self-esteem issues. An effective read-aloud for group sharing."—School Library Journal
 
"Charming." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

05/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—In this German import, a lion is relentlessly mocked for his small stature. A crocodile, leopard, and hippopotamus laugh, stick out their tongues, and question his identity with disparaging comments such as, "You are too small to be a lion." The constant jeers shake the cub's self-confidence, making him feel "teeny-weeny." Müller's evocative digital illustrations show the forlorn lion sitting in the hippo's gigantic shadow, looking and feeling even smaller. While gazing at the night sky, the little lion recognizes the impossibility of ever being big enough to touch the moon. A wise raven offers words of encouragement ("You must reach for it") and a clever plan. The next evening, the lion stands on tiptoe and stretches his paw as far as it can reach. From the perspective of the amazed animals gathered at the base of the hill, the lion succeeds in touching the moon. Readers will cheer at the lion's triumph and his unpretentious, classy grand exit: "The little lion shook his little lion's mane, roared a great little lion's roar, and walked away smiling." VERDICT With its empowering message, this picture book will spark discussions on bullying and self-esteem issues. An effective read-aloud for group sharing.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.

School Library Journal

2017-02-01
A very small lion is made to feel even smaller and more insignificant when the leopard, hippopotamus, and crocodile bully him mercilessly.They laugh uproariously, stick out their tongues, and taunt him about his size. They tell him that real lions are so large that they are able to touch the moon with their paws. Discouraged, the sad little lion gazes at the moon and realizes the impossibility of such an action. A kind raven comes up with a plan. The raven tells all the animals to come to the hill to see something extraordinary. The moon hangs over the hill and the little lion stretches his paw toward the moon, and, from below, it seems as if his paw is actually touching the moon. Most of the animals cheer, but his tormentors remain silent. The little lion smiles and roars a "great little lion's roar." The bullies are relentless, mean-spirited, and rather ignorant, and the little lion is fortunate to have a kind and resourceful friend in the raven. The outcome of Müller's cautionary tale is satisfying when the bullies get their comeuppance, but there's little sense that he might go on to explore other, independent solutions in the future. The mostly double-page spreads of computer-generated illustrations depict expressive, sharply defined animals; the little lion has a mane, so he is a diminutive adult rather than a cub. Shadows, body language, and some unexpected touches add depth to the tale. Charming. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews

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