Review by Booklist Review
In a hilarious psychological tug-of-war, a lion tells his son he has to get a haircut, while the shaggy cub resists--and not because he's scared. The father goes about addressing the many potential fears associated with haircuts--of scissors, of razors, of looking like an antelope--but after the cub cries, "No! Roar!" the dad answers, "YES! ROAR!" and they're off into town. When the chastened child admits he just wanted a wild mane like his father's, Dad gives him a kiss, prompting complaints about the big lion's "prickly" hair. "You need a haircut!" "Me? No." But the tables have turned, and after a few well-placed criticisms expose the father's terror and bring him to his knees, the pair finally agree to get haircuts together. This latest from picture-book veteran Yum brims with heart and charm, turning a classic childhood conflict on its head with subtle style and wit. The colored-pencil illustrations are light and breezy, rendering both lions in loose casual wear and flip-flops as they strive in their battle of wills. The text is comprised entirely of dialogue, with the art bringing out the humorous subtext through the lions' fittingly unrestrained emotions--accentuated in Dad by a wonderfully expressive unibrow--as well as an abundance of clever background details. Great for Father's Day or just for kicks.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Turnabout is fair play in this shaggy dog--er, cat--story. Over spaghetti one night, a lion father declares, "You need a haircut." "No, I don't," says his scruffy progeny, insouciantly twirling a forkful of noodles. The parent persists, introducing reasons (some slightly terrifying) why the ask will turn out fine: "Barber Goat will take good care.... His scissors won't cut your ears." When the smaller lion finally admits that he "just wanted my hair to look like yours," the father confesses that he "used to be scared of scissors, razors, and blow dryers." The cub cleverly throws the gauntlet: "Oh, no problem, then. We can go to the barbershop together." Colored pencil art by Yum follows the sandal- and pattern-clad duo to Goatee's Barber Shop (animals peer out from store windows along the way), from which they emerge tidily shorn: "See, there was nothing to be worried about," says the cub, the very picture of good-natured ribbing and familial love. Ages 3--7. (May)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--Little Lion is looking rather unkempt. The cub's overgrown, rust-colored mane hangs in his face, gets in his food, and hampers his reading, but he has plenty of excuses for why a haircut is unnecessary. Though Dad assumes he understands why his son doesn't want to go to Goatee's Barber Shop, he is surprised upon learning the real reason: His son wants to look look him. When Dad finds his son has turned the tables on him, there is only one simple solution to end the impasse, which ends up satisfying them both. The childlike hand-lettered text is printed in gray with the son's words in a paler shade than his father's. The colored pencil illustrations in pastel hues complement this universal tale of a common childhood situation. The lions' town is made up of a variety of animal species, such as goats, dogs, buffalo, pigs, and bears. VERDICT An enjoyable tale about a common childhood issue. A recommended purchase.--Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A cub uses some reverse psychology on his father…but gets a haircut anyway. From the first spread, what will strike most readers is the father lion's seemingly over-the-top anger directed at his cub. The two are at dinner, dad's fist coming down so hard on the tabletop that his plate tilts and his drink sloshes: "You need a haircut." Unperturbed, the cub slurps up the spaghetti. "No, I don't." Dad's anger continues on the next page, where the duo shares the couch. While the lion's words try to be reassuring, his scowl is not. On the third spread, dad finally tries to get at the heart of the matter and looks pleasant while shampooing the cub's hair and reassuring the child that there's nothing to be scared of. But things devolve again to a (literal) roaring match and, ultimately, the cub's sad admission: "I just wanted my hair to look like yours." From there, the cub uses the same tactics his father did to convince him that he also needs a trim (a reference to the lion's mane as mustache and beard may puzzle literal-minded readers). Troublingly, "Are you scared?" is used tauntingly, and the interaction reinforces the notion that fear and worry are shameful. But most discomfiting is the anger that visibly radiates from the father in too many of the colored-pencil spreads. This dad needs to learn to pick his battles and control his anger. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
