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Lion Lessons
With the wit and read-aloud appeal of Peter Brown’s Children Make Terrible Pets and William Steig’s Pete’s a Pizza, this funny, fierce picture book teaches kids just what it takes to be a great lion.
There are seven steps to becoming a proper lion, including Looking Fierce, Roaring, Prowling Around, and Pouncing. Our young hero, a rather meek and scrawny human boy, does his best to learn the necessary skills during his training with a master instructor (who just happens to be a real lion). After a grueling set of lessons, the boy discovers that that the final step—Looking Out for Your Friends—is the most important of all. That’s how any kid can earn his lion diploma (not to mention the affection of every cat in town).
There are seven steps to becoming a proper lion, including Looking Fierce, Roaring, Prowling Around, and Pouncing. Our young hero, a rather meek and scrawny human boy, does his best to learn the necessary skills during his training with a master instructor (who just happens to be a real lion). After a grueling set of lessons, the boy discovers that that the final step—Looking Out for Your Friends—is the most important of all. That’s how any kid can earn his lion diploma (not to mention the affection of every cat in town).
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2016
17 people are currently reading
878 people want to read
About the author
Jon Agee
53 books163 followersI grew up in Nyack, New York, just up the street from the Hudson River. In our house, there was always an art project going on.
My early drawings were very animated: a lot of stuff zipping around, airplanes, racing cars, football players. No surprise my first published drawing was a pack of rats running along a highway (The Rat Race). I did that for the New York Times Op Ed page when I was still in high school.
I went to college at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. I studied painting, sculpture and filmmaking, but what I loved doing most—in my spare time—was drawing cartoons and comic strips.
When I graduated, I hauled my pile of doodles into the offices of a bunch of editors, with the wild notion that somebody might publish them. When that failed, I wrote a story for kids to go with my pictures (If Snow Falls). It was two sentences long (which counts, by the way). Frances Foster, a wonderful editor at Random House, saw something in that book and signed me up.
The next book, Ellsworth, was about a dog who teaches economics at a university. When he gets home, he throws off his clothes and acts like a dog, which is fine, until some fellow teachers discover this and he loses his job. Somebody told me that Ellsworth was a story about "being yourself." I never realized it had a moral.
I moved to another publisher with Ludlow Laughs, the story of a grumpy guy who laughs in his sleep. This book was doing very poorly until the comedienne Phyliss Diller read it on PBS's Reading Rainbow. It stayed in print for over twenty years.
My fourth book, The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau, was a hit. One of the first people to see it and give it the thumb's up—literally, hot off the press—was Maurice Sendak. We bumped into each other at the printers. It was a lucky first meeting, and happily not our last.
That was all a long time ago. Since then I've written many other picture books, illustrated a few by other authors, and created a series of offbeat wordplay books, beginning with the book of palindromes, Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!
I visit schools across the country and sometimes around the globe. I live with my wife, Audrey, in San Francisco.
My early drawings were very animated: a lot of stuff zipping around, airplanes, racing cars, football players. No surprise my first published drawing was a pack of rats running along a highway (The Rat Race). I did that for the New York Times Op Ed page when I was still in high school.
I went to college at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. I studied painting, sculpture and filmmaking, but what I loved doing most—in my spare time—was drawing cartoons and comic strips.
When I graduated, I hauled my pile of doodles into the offices of a bunch of editors, with the wild notion that somebody might publish them. When that failed, I wrote a story for kids to go with my pictures (If Snow Falls). It was two sentences long (which counts, by the way). Frances Foster, a wonderful editor at Random House, saw something in that book and signed me up.
The next book, Ellsworth, was about a dog who teaches economics at a university. When he gets home, he throws off his clothes and acts like a dog, which is fine, until some fellow teachers discover this and he loses his job. Somebody told me that Ellsworth was a story about "being yourself." I never realized it had a moral.
I moved to another publisher with Ludlow Laughs, the story of a grumpy guy who laughs in his sleep. This book was doing very poorly until the comedienne Phyliss Diller read it on PBS's Reading Rainbow. It stayed in print for over twenty years.
My fourth book, The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau, was a hit. One of the first people to see it and give it the thumb's up—literally, hot off the press—was Maurice Sendak. We bumped into each other at the printers. It was a lucky first meeting, and happily not our last.
That was all a long time ago. Since then I've written many other picture books, illustrated a few by other authors, and created a series of offbeat wordplay books, beginning with the book of palindromes, Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!
I visit schools across the country and sometimes around the globe. I live with my wife, Audrey, in San Francisco.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
September 3, 2019
Fun book that will have kids doing their best to earn their own lion diploma.
October 17, 2024
ROARINGLY great book about a little boy who wants to be a lion! I can remember reading lots of books by John Agee when I was in grade school; I think in the 4th grade my teacher really encouraged us to read books by him. Reading his books now I see that there is a thread that runs through his work; individuals trying to find a way to make friends and finding where you belong.
November 18, 2020
Review to come :)
March 25, 2022
A fun, quick story about a boy who is trying to get his Lion Diploma. Nice enough to read from the library, raised a smile but not one I'd want to own or read several times.
December 14, 2016
Okay, let me emphatically state that I am NOT much of a Jon Agee fan. But you have won me over with this book, Mr Agee.
This is a throwback to really, really good authors like Maurice Sendak and William Steig, with a deadpan sensibility that works perfectly with the strong art. The cover illustration, with the lion teacher and his student, clad in his Lion Not Wolf But It's A Max Suit Anyway, roaring together, is a good taste of what's inside. Two and even threes will not delight in this as much as your 4,5 and early elementary kids will, and I can see practicing the lion yoga stretches at my afternoon story time as we read this. A delight.
This is a throwback to really, really good authors like Maurice Sendak and William Steig, with a deadpan sensibility that works perfectly with the strong art. The cover illustration, with the lion teacher and his student, clad in his Lion Not Wolf But It's A Max Suit Anyway, roaring together, is a good taste of what's inside. Two and even threes will not delight in this as much as your 4,5 and early elementary kids will, and I can see practicing the lion yoga stretches at my afternoon story time as we read this. A delight.
April 21, 2022
A young boy explains the process of obtaining a Lion Diploma in this newest comic picture-book from Jon Agee, detailing the seven steps through which the student must pass, in order to complete the program. From 'Looking Fierce' to 'Pouncing,' the boy shows little promise, but then he sees a tiny kitten being threatened, and discovers he has the seventh step, 'Looking Out for Your Friends' down pat...
Although nowhere near as amusing as It's Only Stanley or The Other Side of Town (my personal favorite, of Agee's titles), Lion Lessons is still an engaging and humorous tale, one which will keep young would-be lions entertained. The artwork is charming, and well-suited to the humor of the story. The lion instructor's droll expressions, whether of chagrin, when his pupil fails to perform as expected, or of amazement, when he does, were particularly appealing. Recommended to young children who dream of becoming something else, or who enjoy quirky and humorous tales, as well as to all Jon Agee fans.
Although nowhere near as amusing as It's Only Stanley or The Other Side of Town (my personal favorite, of Agee's titles), Lion Lessons is still an engaging and humorous tale, one which will keep young would-be lions entertained. The artwork is charming, and well-suited to the humor of the story. The lion instructor's droll expressions, whether of chagrin, when his pupil fails to perform as expected, or of amazement, when he does, were particularly appealing. Recommended to young children who dream of becoming something else, or who enjoy quirky and humorous tales, as well as to all Jon Agee fans.
September 23, 2016
The interactions between the boy and the lion are cute but I felt this book was a little too pro-cat and anti-dog.
February 21, 2018
There is so much more to being a lion than one might think. A little boy in a lion costume learns this the hard way as he takes lessons from a real lion on how to roar, run, and pounce. Gotta love Agee!
August 15, 2016
Maybe my all time favorite Agee title. Perfect for storytime. Grand illustrations. I love it!
June 22, 2016
Young boy learns the seven steps to becoming a proper lion to earn his lion diploma. Great understated fun.
September 19, 2022
Little cute book I stooped from the sidewalk in New York City. I read it this morning in no time, and imagine it'd be a nice reading for a child (and also for adults, why not). I loved that the big lion went to Harvard's "School of claw." LOL. Also loved the illustrations and the final resolution of the story. I learned the word mane.
July 27, 2016
Some children take lessons like piano or a sport's skill. This little guy wants to take lessons to be a lion. Though there are 7 lessons, according to the expert veteran lion, the little boy tires very easy from the strenuous training. See what happens to make this training all worthwhile! Children will want to hear this story again and again. They may even want to test their skills at being a lion!
July 11, 2022
Well, it has a plot, so it's not 'absurd.' It's silly. And simple. And, in my personal opinion, boring. I got to the end and all I could think was 'so what.'
I do like some other works by Agee, and I do see some glowing reviews from people whose taste I trust, though... so if I get a chance, I'll try again. I certainly could have missed or misinterpreted something.
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Reread. Still don't get it.
I do like some other works by Agee, and I do see some glowing reviews from people whose taste I trust, though... so if I get a chance, I'll try again. I certainly could have missed or misinterpreted something.
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Reread. Still don't get it.
October 26, 2016
It's not easy being a lion, but every once in a while there comes along a human who can pull it off.
February 18, 2024
Leeuwenyoga en een menukaart met wild wrattenzwijn en vrije uitloop gnoe 😄
May 19, 2022
Lion Lessons by Jon Agee teaches readers of all ages how to become a lion (or at least act like one) in 7 easy lessons. What did I learn?
1. Shaking your mane is a lot of fun.
2. Stretching is invigorating.
3. Dentists do not recommend the gnashing teeth step.
4. Roaring is an outdoor lesson for sure. :) RROOWWL!!!
5. TUCK YOUR TAIL! It gives you away every time when you're trying to hide.
6. Sprinting comes in handy when you're trying to catch a train.
7. And finally, the biggest and best lesson of them all? Always look out for your friends.
A fun, roaring read! Come see if you can earn your lion diploma. Check it out from your local Library.
March 22, 2019
What do you do if you're a kid but want to learn to act, speak and eat like the king of the beasts? Why, take lion lessons of course. This book covers a 7 step process in which a boy transforms into a lion. Tongue in cheek as you would expect and with humor that both kids and adults will like, (I myself always chuckle when I read it) this is a gem of a read aloud.
Find Lion Lessons at Westminster Public Library today!
Find Lion Lessons at Westminster Public Library today!
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April 2, 2020Did you know there were seven steps to becoming a proper lion? Learn all about them with this book by Jon Agee and then practice becoming the best lion ever! Jon Agee is one of my favorite children’s authors because of the absurd humor in all his books and the sometimes-unexpected moral at the end of the story. This would be a great book to act out with your little one after reading through together. Enjoy this one now by checking out a copy through OverDrive! – Reviewed by Stephanie at MCPL Reading Rocket
November 5, 2017
There are seven easy steps to obtaining your Lion Diploma. The little boy quickly learns that maybe it's a lot harder than it looks, because his scores were not looking very promising. When it came down to step seven, looking out after his friends, his lion skills pulled through and that is the story of how a little boy got his lion diploma. Simple. Nice illustrations. I can see little kids laughing and wanting to try out their "lion skills," too.
September 13, 2016
Jon Agee has presented the reader with a rather amusing account of a young boy training to be a lion. His attempts to be lionlike are rather funny, but the twist at the end leaves the reader satisfied. This one begs to be read out loud.
December 15, 2016
preS-g1
Super fun premise. A child looking at the cover right away started growling. I would love to read this to a group and give it a try. Pretty nice pacing and amount of words for a read aloud.
Super fun premise. A child looking at the cover right away started growling. I would love to read this to a group and give it a try. Pretty nice pacing and amount of words for a read aloud.
February 6, 2017
So how does one go about learning to be a lion? Well, first you need a lion costume. And then - take lessons from a real lion, of course! Work hard to earn your own Lion Diploma! And show how brave you can be.
October 4, 2016
Lost me with the punchline at the end. Super cute and will probably be a ton of fun to booktalk.
March 17, 2017
My kids love this book! It's silly and good for doing funny voices, the illustrations are great, and it has a sweet ending.
April 11, 2017
Quite funny these lion exercises and lessons. We laughed out loud reading them.
May 15, 2017
A cleverly silly primer on how to become a lion lion-hearted:
November 10, 2017
I really like the idea of an entire store being nothing but lion costumes.
February 2, 2018
Clever and funny - this one was a hit for a 2nd grade school visit.
February 26, 2018
This book was oddly one of my favorite books I covered this summer. The idea behind the story line is silly and fun which would be enjoyed by almost all readers. The illustrations are amusing and do the story justice. Nothing will be learned from this book, but it is sure to bring a smile and I would recommend it to any young reader.
November 19, 2018
This was funny...especially the illustrations. A young boy sees signs for yoga, Spanish classes, and lion lessons. He takes the lion lessons, taught by an instructor who graduated from Harvard School of Claw. There are 7 steps to becoming a lion, including looking fierce, roaring, pouncing, and sprinting. The young boy isn't very successful at the first several steps...it does not appear that he will earn his lion diploma. Is there any part of becoming a lion that he can do well?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews