There's a Lion in My Cornflakes

by Michelle Robinson, Jim Field (Illustrator)

Have you ever collected coupons from a cereal box? Maybe you were saving them up for a book or a toy. Well, when Dan and his brother decide to collect 100 coupons so that they can have their very own lion, they assume the task will be easy enough.How wrong can you be?!A wildly wacky story where anything can happen, There's a Lion in My Cornflakes brings together bestselling author Michelle Robinson and award-winning illustrator Jim Field for the very first time, with hilarious results.Brilliantly read by Lenny Henry. Please note that audio is not supported by all devices, please consult your user manual for confirmation.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Food, Humor, Storytime, Fiction

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

When I'm not up to my knees in nappies, I write children's books. I also spend a fair amount of time eating chocolate. I try to write funny, read-aloud books that parents will enjoy as much as children - after all, if you have to share the same stories umpteen times, you may as well enjoy them.
I hope you like my books enough to read them umpteen times. Thank you - Michelle.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny! Who hasn't collected labels, or box tops to receive a prize?! Usually, you have to eat an awful lot of the product and collect an awful lot of labels etc. for quite a small, but very valuable to a child, prize. This book offered a hilarious twist, with the prize being huge and thoroughly unmanageable!

[Eline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarisch verhaal over twee broers die zegels van de cornflakesdozen sparen om een gratis leeuw te krijgen. Helaas blijkt de promotie een succes te zijn, waardoor alle leeuwen al werden uitgedeeld. De jongens krijgen allerlei andere dieren toegestuurd, maar zijn die dieren wel even leuk als een leeuw?

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun nonsense. We laughed a lot. A cereal company is running a promotion where you get a lion with a hundred coupons. A couple of brothers spend a small fortune on the cereal, just like every other kid in town. Suddenly, the company is out of lions. Will they get theirs at the end?

We learned and discussed the word 'bonkers'.

[Charlotte]

Really cute story that seems absurd to parents but totally makes sense to little ones. All the two kids want is a lion but they keep getting other animals and are very upset; until they realize that the animals they have are unique and amazing.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this funny tale of brothers who send away for a lion with cornflake coupons. Except instead of getting a lion, they get stuck with a series of unacceptable animals that cause all kinds of problems.

I didn't realize this book was written and illustrated by English people until I saw the family in car and the dad was driving on the left. I immediately reread the book with a fresh appreciation for the humor.

[Cindy Dobrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate up this book for breakfast and am still chuckling. Loved the story and the illustrations. Those cereal box prizes and offers are never what they claim, but this takes it to extremes. Great fun!

[Sunah Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is an advertisement of a cereal box that if customers collect coupons the company will provide a lion as a reward. Dan and his brother collect coupons from the box of cornflakes so that they could receive a lion. However, the advertisement was so popular in their community, so the company run out of lions when the brothers finish collecting their coupons for a lion. In the end, the brothers could receive a grizzly bear, a crocodile, and a gorilla instead of a lion.
Although the book title states “There's a Lion in My Cornflakes”, there is not a lion in their cornflakes literally. This book may be fun for children to read, stimulating imagination. I was used to the commercial of cornflakes with a lion, so this picture book reminded me of the product. I think illustrations pretty well represent the brothers’ expectations to have a lion as a reward. For instance, the illustration showed that the brothers are looking outside to check whether the delivered lion on the street is for them through the window. Another illustration showed a park that full of lions and children and the two brothers who do not have a lion. Those children with a lion play with their lions, running and riding. The two brothers are the only ones who do not have a lion in the park. Instead of writing “I want my lion desperately”, the illustrations makes readers reading this infer what the brothers are thinking or feeling instead of being told.

[sabioandmom · Rating 5 out of 5]

No! It's not literally a lion inside a bowl of cornflakes... The story began with a warning from a little boy who was eating cornflakes. "If you ever see this on a box of cornflakes; ignore it!", said he. His finger pointed to a cornflakes box on the table. "FREE LION, just save 100 coupons" and a picture of a roaring lion were printed on the front of it. Very tempting.

The little boy continued to tell his story. He and his brother, Dan, really want to get a free lion. So, they made a million trips to the supermarket, and spent a whole year's allowance on cereal, and spent a long time to cut out all the coupons, and ate cornflakes everyday as their maincourses and snacks, and didn't get any allowance until they finished every last cornflake (their mom was really mad). But, they didn't mind. They really wanted that free lion because a lion would be very useful. However, they weren't the only kids who aim to have a free lion. Did their efforts succeed?

Once Mom read its review online, Mom decided to buy this book for Sabio. He likes animals and cereals. Plus, its main characters are also little boys just like him.

This book is one of Mom's favourite books. Its illustrations are really nice with perfect color palettes. In addition, its story is somewhat familiar but imaginative. The two brothers planned to ride their free lion to go to school. They want to use the lion as a can opener too. Sabio giggled a lot while reading it together with Mom.

[Caleb Ensminger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy and his brother who really wanted a pet lion. A box of cornflakes said if they collect 100 coupons, they could have a lion. So they went to the store and bought a bunch of cornflakes with a years worth of allowance. Everyone else also had the same idea and everyone was getting a lion. The cereal company made a mistake and sent the boys a bear. So they emailed the company and they said they're out of lions, so they sent a crocodile. The boys parents were mad so they went to talk to the company, they sent them back with a gorilla. Around that time was when the boys started to realize that having those animals weren't too bad. They figured out that everyone else had a lion, so they liked being different. I would use this book in my classroom when trying explain to kids to be grateful for everything that they have. I could also explain that being different from the crowd is a good thing, and that they don't need to follow the crowd.

I really liked this book. It was well written and I enjoyed looking at all of the illustrations. I thought the author did really good job on getting his point across and he did it in a really cool way.

[Maddy Mullin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story a boy and his brother, Dan, bought 100 boxes of cornflakes to get a free lion. There mother was so mad that she made them eat nothing but cornflakes until they were all gone. When the boys sent in the 100 coupons off the cornflakes boxes, they found that so did everyone else. They waited and waited for their lion to come. Then the day after everyone else got their lions, a grizzly bear was delivered to their neighbors house. They got the grizzly bear and complained to the corn flakes company, but they were out of lion so they just kept sending different animals. This happened again and again until they were finally fed up and their father took them to the company and they returned with a years supply of corn flakes and all the animals they had received.

This book was okay. It was cute and pretty funny. The illustrations are really good! They are detailed and really add to the story.

In my classroom I would use this in a lesson about animals, or I could use the book as a writing prompt. Read the students the book, then ask them to write what animal they would eat 100 boxes of corn flakes for and why.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young boys spend all their allowance buying corn flakes because they can get a free lion if they save enough coupons from the boxes. By the time they've saved enough the company has run out of lions; so they send the boys a bear. Not a great idea, according to the very disappointed boys. When they complain to the company they are sent a crocodile. That's not the answer they were looking for. And the crocodile is a bathroom hog! Dad is having none of it. When he complains to the company the family is sent a lifetime supply of corn flakes. Dad's happy; the boys, not so much. But they are on to a new contest: Win a free TIGER!!

Hilarious story for storytime!

[Jet Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember when you could cut out coupons from cereal boxes and mail them in for a prize like a decoder ring, this is something me and my little cousins used to do all the time just to get free toys. In this story, you can send away for a free lion. A boy and his brother eat nothing but cornflakes until they save up enough coupons for the free lion. Unfortunately, the cereal company has run out of lions and send an array of other ridiculous pets instead including a bear, a crocodile, and a gorilla. The bold illustrations with lots of amusing details add to the comedy making this a perfect book to read over and over again.

[Mikael Cerbing · Rating 4 out of 5]

En ny favorit hos den unge kritikern. Och även hans far är glad i ironin som går att finna i både text och bildvärld. Texten som sådan är relativt enkel och beskrivande i ungarnas frustration hur alla utom de får ett lejon med posten. Men sedan så visar bilderna på så mycket mer än vad texten beskriver vilket gör den både underhållande att se på, men även användbara i att diskutera med barn. Bilderna är även färglad, detaljerad och överdriven med diverse detaljer som gör berättelsen än mer absurd än vad den "naturligt" är. Skoj bok.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library book. My son found this one in the stacks all by himself and love-love-loved it! During the three weeks we had it we read it at least three times a day and he didn't want to let it go back. He asks about it every time we go to the library.

It's a cute story of a couple of kids who wanted the prize on the back of a box of cornflakes but just can't get what they want. Very funny, engaging, and great graphics.

[Lucy Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lots of fun! I think nowadays kids probably don’t understand about collecting coupons for things though! I enjoyed the colourful illustrations and I thought the children would enjoy what it would be like to have a lion/ alligator. It shows you what you think you want, and the reality when you actually get it don’t always add up! It would be nice to think about wishes with the children. What would they wish for? What animal would they like to collect coupons for.

[Kat Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wacky and animal-centric text that centers around two brothers saving 100 coupons from their cereal boxes (cornflakes, if you couldn't infer) to get a free lion. Trouble is, the cereal company is fresh out! What are they to do? Field's illustrations stand out on the shelf and Robinson's quirky plot managers to spark a spot of nostalgia as an elementary school student saving up box tops.

[Tomi Alger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two brothers decide to save coupons from cereal boxes in order to get the promised lion (for so many coupons). What they do get is not expected. And, boy, do they eat a lot of corn flakes! A good reminder that not all is as good as it seems.

[Indy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious story book about how two brothers saved coupons to get a free lion from a cereal company, but ended up getting a bear, a crocodile, and a gorilla instead of a lion like every one else. However, they made good use of these animals to do what they wanted to do with the lion. Really funny.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book and I enjoyed reading it at preschool storytime. It is really written more for primary grade students and I think they would have enjoyed it even more. Still, it kept the preschoolers' interest for the most part.

[Miss Ryoko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is inappropriately titled because the lion is not in the cornflakes, however can be gained by sending in the coupons on the cornflakes boxes... but it was a cute picture book nonetheless

[Andrew Root · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book that delighted my 8yo (who now wants a lion) and my 5yo (who thinks a crocodile might be more useful). Great illustrations and a charming story! Well done!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooooo ridiculous and soooo funny!

[Christine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Countdown to Kindergarten Letter L. Kids buy 100 boxes of cornflakes to earn a free lion. When the company runs out of lions, they send other animals in its place. Cute.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny! The cereal company runs out of lions so the brothers end up with many strange animals...

[Marta Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divertido, bem ilustrado e um excelente pretexto para falar sobre publicidade, promoções e consumo

PNL (pré-escolar)

[Melissa T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny!

[Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! I read this for storytime today... big hit with kids and parents!!

[Jvermeersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grappig, heerlijk absurd boek, met toffe tekeningen en plezant om voor te lezen.

[Lucca · Rating 5 out of 5]

15 min? 6 yo
I ha cute and creative book. We loves it, and the illustrations were amazing.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ludicrous