Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion [Hardcover]

Hilaire Belloc (Author), Mini Grey (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 14, 2010 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

A treat for fans of ghastly gore and egregious endings.

“Contains a Dangerous Beast and a Miserable End,” states a warning on the cover. But if you are strong of heart and like your humor a little on the dark side, jump right into the brilliant collaboration of the Edwardian humorist Hilaire Belloc, dead for the past 57 years, and the very much alive Mini Grey. Grey's sly illustrations, clever type designs, amazing lift-the-flaps, and a roaring lion pop-up, not to mention her zoo map with hilarious Rules and Byelaws, make this edition of the classic cautionary tale a collectible to savor. Decidedly not a lift-the-flap for babies, it will lift the spirits of anyone with a well-developed sense of humor.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Parents who will stop at nothing to make their children behave may want to present this Victorian cautionary talein good spirit, of course. Belloc's Jim is very well provided for in his self-controlled parents' home. The naughty boy defects, though, running away from Nurse, and is eaten by a zoo lion. Chess's art shows off the splendor of indoor life in those days: trim, warm interiors with a la mode wallpaper and draperies. She also presents very personable zoo bears, ant-eaters, Ponto the lion and a very veracious zookeeper. The images herein (Jim's gulp by gulp journey into the lion; his head rolling around on the pavement) make a lasting impressionbeware cautionary tales! Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5–In this parody of a cautionary tale, a lion eats disobedient young Jim. While the text states that Jim's “Friends were very good to him,” the mixed-media illustrations show otherwise, as the adults who care for the boy overfeed him to the point of illness, give him a tricycle too small for him, and subject him to boring read-alouds. No wonder “Jim slipped his hand and ran away” while his nurse flirted with a man at the zoo. The moral? “…always keep a-hold of Nurse/For fear of finding something WORSE.” Wryly humorous, cartoon illustrations with foldout pages, flaps, and a pop-up lion extend the sarcastic text. Some adults may object to the depiction of Jim's decapitated head and the bloody “Dainty Morsel” in the lion's mouth, but kids with an ironic sense of humor who are beginning to question adult authority will likely eat this story up.Julie R. Ranelli, Queen Anne's County Free Library, Stevensville, MD
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 26 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (September 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375859705
• ISBN-13: 978-0375859700
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.6 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #574,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Irreverently funny..., October 31, 2002

By 

Janelle Hamel "Crochet Diva" (Grand Prairie, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion: A Cautionary Tale (Paperback)

I stumbled across this book while buying supplies for the "literature center" in my PreK classroom. The school director gave me a funny look when I showed it to her, but the children adored it. It incited tons of snickers and giggles, followed by whispers, pointing fingers, and more laughter. I've found that this book has the same effect on adults, lol. Definately a must-read.

The illustrations are wonderful... just wait until you get to the part where Jim is *actually eaten by the lion*...that naughty boy. :)

Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides a series of pull-outs, pop-ups and fold-out fun to spice the story of a disobedient boy, November 20, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion (Hardcover)

Hilaire Belloc and Mini Grey's JIM: A CAUTIONARY TALE provides a series of pull-outs, pop-ups and fold-out fun to spice the story of a disobedient boy. Parents and kids especially will relish this picture book about a boy who leads a boring life - until he is loosed at the zoo to find freedom and danger.

5.0 out of 5 stars Bad for Jim - GREAT for us., February 26, 2011

By 

FIRR-Kids! - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion (Hardcover)

Hilaire Belloc originally penned the now-classic cautionary tale Jim in 1907. The poem was intended to be a a satirical response to the morality tales that were popular for children in Victorian times. Updated with fabulous illustrations by Mini Grey, this poem is just as enjoyable now as it certainly was over 100 years later. I'm so impressed that Mini Grey didn't make any changes to the original poem. It is her style and presentation that give this such a fresh look. The pages come alive with lovely pop-ups and secret pull tabs hidden about.

A spoiled little boy named Jim gets everything he could possibly want. He has strict instructions to stay with his nanny, but slips away every chance he gets. One day at the zoo, Jim pulls this exact trick ... and is snapped up by a lion, quick as a wink. The zookeeper makes a move to assist, but being quite heavy, he does not move too swiftly. When he does arrive, he is greeted by a dead boy. bim's mother is not particularly broken up, and points out they had reminded him time after time not to roam. His father seizes the opportunity to use the zoo mauling to create an example for the other children. He even makes up a posterboard with a crudely drawn disembodied head.

The lion practically pops off the page, and you can peep inside the chocolate bar to see the gooey, pink filling. Most impressive in the map of the zoo that unfolds into six quadrants, yet remains attached to the book. Lots of funny signs and (Do not stroke the snakes) and clever details are tucked in here. In all, a classic poem gets a fabulous update by being made into a super fun and interactive book.