How Leo Learned to Be King [Hardcover]

Marcus Pfister (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

From the creator of the international bestseller "The Rainbow Fish" comes a whimsical yet thought-provoking fable about the abuse of power and the responsibilities of leadership. Only when the other animals in his domain refuse to kowtow to Leo and banish him to the savanna does Leo learn that cooperation and consideration are what being a king is all about. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2ALeo the lion, King of the Beasts, is deposed by the other animals who feel that he is lazy and inconsiderate. He learns that he is dispensable and that only by listening to and assisting others can a group member warrant the title of "king." He states at the end, "But I don't need a crown and a throne to rule. After all, while I may be king, I'm still just an animal like all of you." The message is heavy-handed and the resolution is pat. The text seems stilted and predictable, perhaps due to translation. The book's saving grace is its lovely watercolor illustrations. Children will gravitate toward Pfister's artwork, even without the sparkling additions that he used in Rainbow Fish (North-South, 1992). In a world of violence and power abuse, primary-grade children need to know that kindness and thoughtfulness can prevail-and that message comes through loud and clear. It is just a pity that the text doesn't match the verve of the illustrations. An additional title to meet the customer demand for other Pfister offerings.AMollie Bynum, formerly at Chester Valley Elementary School, Anchorage, AK
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3^-6. Pfister, the author of the remarkably popular picture book The Rainbow Fish (1992), offers another of his parables in picture-book format, this time without the glitter effect. Leo the lion is king of the jungle, but his subjects think he's a lazy ruler and depose him. A dejected Leo skulks around to see whether any of the animals miss him--they don't--but now that he is close to the other animals, Leo is able to help them when the need arises. Predictably, the animals like the new, improved Leo and ask him to return to his throne. The book ends rather abruptly (and enigmatically) when Leo says, "It would be a privilege to serve you. But I don't need a crown and a throne to rule. After all, while I may be king, I'm still an animal like all of you." Pfister's signature artwork, soft edged, with lots of greens and purples, is the best part of the book, but the story never rises above the mundane. Still, with Pfister's name recognition, libraries may want to consider purchase. Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: North-South / Night Sky Books; Tra edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558589139
• ISBN-13: 978-1558589131
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,047,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK IS HARD TO BEAT!, August 3, 2004

By 

Reader (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Leo Learned to Be King (Hardcover)

My mother gave this book to my oldest son when he was 3 and he fell in love with the story! He is now 5 and it's still his favorite book. It's a wonderful lesson about how Leo the Lion's arrogance caused him to be outcast and "dethroned" by the other animals in his "kingdom." Looking back, Leo was able to see how useless he'd been as a king because of his being so arrogant and self-centered. By helping several of the other animals when they were having difficulties, Leo was able to prove to the other animals that he had genuinely changed and become a better "person." In the end the other animals invited Leo back to be their king again. This teaches such a wonderful lesson to children and I have bought at least a dozen copies of it to give to my children's schools and for birthday gifts for their friends. I have an extensive library of books for my children, but this book is one of the very best.