Honey... Honey... Lion! [Hardcover]

Jan Brett (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The African plains provide a stunning environment for Jan Brett’s latest animal adventure. For as long as anyone can remember, the honeyguide bird and the African honey badger have been partners when it comes to honey:Honeyguide finds the honeycomb, Badger breaks it open, and they share the sweetness inside.

But this day, Badger keeps all the honey for himself. Foolish Badger!

In no time,Honeyguide leads Badger on a fast chase.Badger thinks it’s for honey; but Honeyguide has a surprise waiting for her greedy friend.

As they swim across a pond, push through a thicket of reeds, leap over a huge anthill, a menagerie of exotic animals passes the news along in a kind of animal Bush Telegraph. Finally Badger faces a lift-the-flap page, revealing the twist that teaches Badger a lesson. Can you guess who’s under that flap?

Honey . . . Honey . . . Lion! will surely become a family favorite for readers of all ages.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–This title is based on the legend of the honeyguide, an African bird that leads an animal to a honeycomb and then shares the spoils once the stronger creature has broken it open. In Brett's version, Honeyguide takes revenge upon a greedy honey badger that refuses to share the sweet treat. She leads him on a merry chase that ends up not at a honeycomb but at the lair of a lion. Badger's pursuit of the honeyguide and flight from the lion are reminiscent of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, with each landmark and sound effect revisited on the return journey. Brett has created another lush winner with beautifully detailed illustrations of the animals and a clear, fast-paced story. Honeyguide's anger and subsequent punishment of Badger is witnessed by the other animals that form a bush telegraph, passing news along from individual to individual. This process is visualized on the edges of each page in typical Brett style–a story within a story. This lovely title works equally well for storyhours or for one-on-one sharing. Readers interested in other versions of the legend can check out Francesca Martin's The Honey Hunters (Candlewick, 1994).–Kara Schaff Dean, Needham Public Library, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Honeyguide, an African bird, has always helped her friend Badger find honey, and in turn, the team always devours the sweet hives together. One day, Badger greedily consumes the honey himself, so his feathered friend gets mad. The next day she leads Badger on a wild hunt for what he thinks is honey. Through the baobab roots ("Pitter, patter!"), into the water hole ("Splish, splash!"), over the termite mound ("Sprong!"), and straight into an acacia bush, the resting spot of a soon-to-be-angry lion, which readers can see by lifing a flap. Brett brings her traditionally ornate style to an African setting, specifically Botswana's Okavango Delta, forming patterns with skins, seeds, and feathers to craft her careful borders. Side panels reveal myriad African animals spreading the news through the plains of Badger's betrayal via "bush telegraph," from elephant to hippo, hippo to warthog, warthog to hyena. Badger and Honeyguide's sound-effect-filled trek guarantees a lively read-aloud. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399244638
• ISBN-13: 978-0399244636
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 11.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jan Brett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Gingerbread Friends, The Three Snow Bears, and The Mitten, as well as many other classics. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous illustrations & a moral, BUT, September 20, 2006

By 

A. C. Shellhase (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Honey... Honey... Lion! (Hardcover)

not a true representation of the fierceness of a Honey badger (Ratel) in the wild. Even leopards don't mess with them; neither will a lion. Badgers are fierce animals, loyal to their families, and great hunters on their own. Honey is just a treat; a dessert, though it is true a Ratel will work with a Pilot bird to find the honey caches.

That said, this story is based on an African tale and teaches a lesson in sharing. Not only is the coloring and look of an African badger correct, the trees, plants, and other animals are, too. (I know having been to Africa)

So, as a story, moral tale, and example of elaborate illustrations, this book is quite excellent. It's up there with Wind in the Willows, the Foxwood series, Percy the Parkkeeper stories, and many, many more that feature the badger for a juvenile audience.

If you want more accurate information about badgers, there are many other factual books available for children and adults.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Good Book, February 24, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Honey... Honey... Lion! (Hardcover)

The book takes place in Africa. It is a great book because the Honey Guide tricks the badger. The illustrations are beautiful and nice. We like the pictures of the African animals. We also like the clues that Jan Brett gave us on the sides.

Kindergarten Class
New Hampshire Estates, Silver Spring, MD

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what a lovely book!, December 8, 2005

By 

lynn yaple (Watertown, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honey... Honey... Lion! (Hardcover)

Honey...Honey...Lion is this year's perfect book for young animal and nature lovers. Although the animals' interactions are not, of course, accurate, the background habitat is immediately recognizable to those who love this part of Africa. Needless to say, the illustrations are beautifully drawn by the amazing Ms. Brett. The book slowly presents the story, the surroundings, and pictures of the animals involved, then reinforces this new knowledge in reverse order. The names of each animal are then given on a last summary page. The manner of presentation will make the information highly accessible to children of this age, and the story line will appeal to their strong interest in fairness.