Lionel and the lion's share

PreS-K--Lionel has trouble sharing. He thinks that because he is a lion, he gets the "lion's share." He snatches all the instruments from the music shop, all the hats from the hat shop, all the balloons from the balloon cart, and finally the last straw is when he eats all the cake at a birthday party. Can Lionel make things better? Can he make it up to his friends? Sheehan's debut illustrations are lively and energetic, with text placed in an easy-to-read format. The color palette is bright, using background illustrations on some pages and a white background on others. The animals' facial expression and body language clearly show the characters' feelings at each stage of the story. Readers witness Lionel and his not-so-brilliant choices and are able to see the impact of his decisions on those around him. This story is a solid addition for elementary libraries as it explores friendship, social interaction, and emotions as well as learning points such as days of the week, highlighting Lionel's repetitive non sharing behavior, shapes, and counting of purchases. VERDICT A sweet story that teaches the lesson that sharing is the best way to make friends. Great for reading aloud.--Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country School, NY

Lionel the lion always takes the lion's share by forceuntil his disappointed friends teach him that sharing is caring.Lionel simply does not like to share. In the music shop on Monday, in the hat shop on Tuesday, at the balloon cart on Wednesday, Lionel can't decide among all the tantalizing options. Just as a friend is about to choose an item, Lionel snatches it and adds it to his large collection. When his friends object that he can't possibly use all those instruments, hats, or balloons, Lionel responds, "But I am a lion.And I get the lion's share." His poor, sad friends (all anthropomorphic animals) just wish he weren't so selfish. On Thursday, at Chloe's birthday party, Lionel takes it too far when he decides that the "lion's share" is the whole cake! The birthday kitten cries, and his friends tell him he has been mean. He stomps off angrily, but by the time he gets home, he is sad, and he knows what he has to do to make amends. The mixed-media illustrations use a combination of soft hues and primary colors, with curving lines and simple expressions, to convey emotions. The triumph of kindness over selfishness is a lesson that never gets old.From outrage to regret, amends, and forgiveness, the drama between friends makes the moral an easy pill to swallow. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.