Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's a common enough problem: ask for a kitten, receive a lion instead. Luckily, Sauer (Mary Had a Little Glam) has readers covered in this step-by-step guide to a singular pet, which adopts the dry tone of an owner's manual. Countering that deadpan writing is Cummings's (Little Red Gliding Hood) boisterous artwork, a mix of schematic-style diagrams and vividly exaggerated cartons starring a boy and the enormous yellow lion that arrives in a crate. "Try very hard not to look like a zebra. Or a gazelle. Or a bunny," advises Sauer in step three; Cummings shows the boy frantically covering up his rabbit T-shirt. If one does accidentally get eaten, worry not-a simple, tickle-inducing feather is all that's needed to remedy the situation, a process depicted in a series of Ikea-esque labeled diagrams. Humorous details are everywhere, from the stack of pizzas delivered to satiate the lion (toppings include rhino and antelope) to the lion's house-cat-like tendency to sleep in sunbeams and on top of the fridge. Ages 3-up. Author's agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator's agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
A boy orders a pet kitten but gets a lion instead, along with a fourteen-step guide that serves as the text for this story. The guide's black-and-white diagrams are incorporated in the cartoon-style illustrations, and the contrast between the boy's experiences and the straight-faced diagrams is humorously absurd. The boy is persistent and caring, and the lion is rambunctious and loving. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Could a lion be the right pet for you?The pet delivery company seems to have run out of kittens, but lions are "practically the same thing!" Taking care of one is easy, provided one follows the steps in this handy manual. After de-crating your new pet (step No. 1) and (step No. 2) locating the enclosed feather (to be used later), the manual urges readers to try "very hard NOT to look like a zebra. Or a gazelle. Or a bunny." Step No. 4 instructs readers on the use of the feather should they have ignored step No. 3 and find themselves inside the lion (tickling his nose allows escape via sneeze). Ten large pizzas make a good meal for your lion; just watch that he doesn't eat the delivery guy too. (That feather comes in handy if he does). Litter box setup, creating a play area, and bathing are all covered in the manual. At the end of a long day, the manual assures readers they'll find their lion is indeed the purr-fect pet. Sauer's terse text, presented as the steps in the care manual for the lion, are tongue-in-cheek smile-inducing, as are accompanying black-and-white diagrams from the manual. However, their interaction with Cummings' full-color, digitally created illustrations of a light-brown-skinned child and the full-grown male lion that was delivered instead of a kitten are laugh-out-loud fun. Allow plenty of time to giggle over the details. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
