Lion Craft for Kids

March 7 – National Cereal Day

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About the Holiday

Did you know that breakfast in a bowl actually began with an experiment that went wrong? Or just maybe it was right! John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Will Keith Kellogg were experimenting with boiled wheat in 1877 when they left some out overnight. In the morning the wheat was stale. The brothers decided to roll it out instead of throwing it away, and they found that each wheat berry created a flake. Boiled corn worked the same way, and from this process the Kellogg brothers invented Corn Flakes, the first dry cereal!

Today’s holiday celebrates all the varieties of your favorite cereal—whether it’s made of corn, wheat, bran, rice, or a mixture of flakes, fruit, and nuts. So pour yourself a big bowlful and enjoy!

There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes

Written by Michelle Robinson | Illustrated by Jim Field

Who could resist clipping coupons to receive a free lion? Nobody, that’s who! I mean, it would be so cool, right? A lion to take on walks, ride to school, and open tin cans—awesome! So a little boy and his brother Dan take a year’s worth of their allowance, make “a million” trips to the grocery store, and start cutting.

But all those boxes of cereal squeeze out the other food on the pantry shelves, so Mom says the boys have to eat cornflakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it’s gone—and, oh yeah, they don’t get an allowance until then either. It’s all worth it, though, because they’re going to get a real live lion.

Illustration © 2015 Jim Field, text © 2015 Michelle Robinson. Courtesy of Jim Field and Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

There’s just one hitch—every other kid in town has the same idea, and while the brothers wait for their lion to arrive, everyone else is out playing with their new pet. Finally, the delivery truck pulls up in front of the house, and out walks . . . a grizzly bear?! That’s not right, and it’s even delivered to the wrong house. Well, the bear’s not too crazy about the situation either. 

A letter of complaint to the cereal company brings resolution in the form of . . . a crocodile?! The crocodile spends all its time in the bathroom, and the grizzly bear is still causing havoc. Dad calls the cereal company and to make up for their mistake they send . . . a gorilla?! The gorilla stomps on Dad’s car and rips the door off. Still, the whole crew piles in so Dad can “give those cereal people a piece of my mind.”

Illustration © 2015 Jim Field, text © 2015 Michelle Robinson. Courtesy of Jim Field and Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

The cereal people sure are sorry for the mix-up. They make amends by letting the family keep the grizzly bear, the crocodile, and the gorilla, AND the company gives them…a lifetime’s supply of cornflakes! But really, what good are cornflakes? The boys can’t walk them or ride them or even open cans with them.

You know what, though? Mom’s discovered the crocodile has some pretty sharp, can-opening chompers. The grizzly bear can walk forever and even wear a fanny pack. And the gorilla makes a very cool chauffeur. Why bother having a lion when everyone else has one?

But what are those cereal people offering now—a free tiger?! Hmmm . . . .

Illustration © 2015 Jim Field, text © 2015 Michelle Robinson. Courtesy of Jim Field and Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Michelle Robinson has taken the lure of free stuff to its ridiculous best. With comical flair she aptly portrays the consternation on all sides, from the earnest kids to the flummoxed parents, that grounds this story in the recognizable while also providing hilarious suspense. The silly, over-the-top scenario of There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes serves up the benefits of individuality and drawbacks of consumerism that will have kids laughing at every page and escalation of the brothers’ problem.

Jim Field’s bold, vibrant illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this boisterous tale. The boxes of cornflakes and clipped coupons are piled high, the boys are excited, nonplussed, shocked, and finally accepting as day after day brings new and unexpected results of their actions, and the parents are perfectly perplexed. Kids will love the funny details on every page that highlight the story.

Ages 3 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s, 2015 | ISBN 978-0802738363

About the Author

Michelle Robinson’s many picture books include bestsellers, The World Made a Rainbow and the Goodnight Tractor series. Her books are popular in homes and classrooms all over the world, and include Ten Fat Sausages, winner of the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards, and There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes, winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award.

Her YouTube channel, MICHELLE ROBINSON – CHILDREN’S AUTHOR, is full of ideas to encourage young children to read, write and have fun. You can also download free teacher’s notes and activity sheets at: www.michellerobinson.co.uk.

About the Illustrator

Jim Field is an illustrator, character designer and animation director. He has won multiple awards for the children’s books he has illustrated; including the Lollies, The Roald Dahl Funny Prize, The Evening Standards Oscars Prize and The Sainsbury’s Award. He was the 4th bestselling children’s book illustrator of 2021. Jim now lives in Paris with his wife, daughter and a small grumpy cat. Visit him at jimfield.me.

There’s a Book Trailer in this Review!

National Cereal Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-wooden-spoon-lion-craft

Spoon Lion Puppet

Spoons are just the thing for eating cereal! But with this craft you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet!

Supplies

  • Wooden mixing spoon
  • Yellow Fleece
  • Brown felt
  • Colorful Fleece or felt
  • Fabric glue
  • Light brown marker
  • Dark brown marker
  • Hot glue gun or super glue

CPB - Spoon Lion with stuff

Directions

To make the lion’s face

  1. Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon

To make the mane

  1. Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
  2. Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
  3. Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
  4. Glue the open edges of the fleece together
  5. Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact

To make the ears

  1. Cut round ears from the brown felt.

Assembling the lion

  1. Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
  2. Glue the mane to the back of the spoon

To make the bow

  1. Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
  2. Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
  3. Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary
  4. Glue the bow to the handle

To make the tail

  1. Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
  2. With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
  3. Braid the strips
  4. At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free
  5. Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon

You can purchase There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes at Amazon Picture Book ReviewPicture Book Review

August 10 – World Lion Day

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About the Holiday

The organization Big Cat Rescue established today’s holiday to bring awareness to the declining lion population. Habitat depletion, climate change, poaching, and other dangers have taken their toll on these majestic animals, and they are now on the endangered list. Global organizations aim to reverse the trend through education, protection, and governmental policy.

Lion Lessons

By Jon Agee

 

Passing signs for yoga lessons, violin lessons, Spanish classes, knitting classes, karate classes tutoring, a little boy turns into a shop advertising Lion Lessons in 7 Easy Steps. A closet to the right of a poster depicting “Great Lions in History” contains the appropriate garb—lion costumes. The boy steps into the body and attaches the mane. “It’s not easy getting your Lion Diploma,” the boy tells readers. “I know. I took lessons.”

His instructor, a lion himself, reveals that there are seven steps to becoming a lion. But first comes stretching. Converted yoga poses—“the Upward Lion, the Downward Lion, the Upside-Down Lion, the Rolling Lion, and the Flying Lion”—prepare them for the class to come. And, oh yes, they must shake their manes.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lion-lessons-jon-agee-wearing-lion-costume

Image copyright Jon Agee, courtesy of Dial Books for Young Readers

Step One to becoming a lion is “Looking Fierce.” The instructor demonstrates how to do it, complete with bared claws, gnashing teeth, and glinting fangs. The boy attempts these poses, but his instructor isn’t impressed. Step Two is “Roaring.” The boy steps up to the microphone and gives it his loudest growl. The sound barely registers on the noise meter.

Step Three is “Choosing What to Eat.” The instructor folds out the menu, with its wide choice of meats: “free-range muskrat, wombats, organic iguana, grass-fed gnu, all-you-can-eat antelope, sloth, prairie-raised anteater, and wild warthog.” Where’s the spaghetti? the boy wonders, only to learn that lions don’t eat spaghetti. Next up is Step Four: “Prowling Around.” Practice takes place in the forest where the boy learns to hide in the bushes and behind trees without letting his tail show.

Step Five is “Sprinting” and requires meeting the instructor at a faraway tree in five minutes; it took the boy one hour. After Sprinting comes “Pouncing.” The lion maneuvers the boy behind a woman talking on her phone and says, “‘It’s simple. You get a running start and then you jump on that lady.’” The boy protests that he will scare her to death. “‘Uh,’” says the lion, “‘that’s the idea.’” So the boy gets a running start and leaps—right into the lady’s arms. “‘What a cute little kitty-cat!’” she says.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-lion-lessons-jon-agee-looking-fierce

Image copyright Jon Agee, courtesy of Dial Books for Young Readers

Step seven is “Looking Out for Your Friends.” The boy peers through the telescope and sees a kitten: friend. The dog chasing the kitten: not a friend. The boy lets out a “ferocious roar.” He bares his claws, gnashes his teeth, paws the ground, shakes his mane and sprints across the field. When he’s within striking distance, he pounces…and saves the kitten! “‘Bravo!!’” congratulates the lion.

And that is how the little boy earned his diploma and became a hero to all the neighborhood cats in the bargain!

What kid wouldn’t like to be a lion—if even for a day? To be king of the classroom, or king of the playground, or even king of the house would be awesome. Jon Agee taps into that childhood (and adulthood?) mind set with his story of the little boy who channels his inner big cat to save a little cat from the neighborhood bully dog. Agee’s droll allusions to other popular classes enhances the humor for both kid and adult readers. Instead of yoga pants or a karate gi, the boy dons a lion uniform and proceeds on to perform lion-inspired exercises. While seemingly simple give-and-take, the dialogue between the two characters contains more dry wit that will have kids agreeing with their picture book counterpart and giggling at his predicament.

The over-sized pages and full-bleed colorful spreads allow for king-sized laughs. This is one lion instructor who takes his job seriously no matter how unsavory the menu or pouncing practice may seem to humans. Jon Agee never fails to entertain, and Lion Lessons continues the fun.

Ages 4 – 8

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0803739086

To learn more about Jon Agee and his books and view a gallery of his illustrations, visit his website!

World Lion Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-wooden-spoon-lion-craft

Wooden Spoon Lion Puppet

 

Unleash your inner lion! With this craft you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet!

Supplies

  • Wooden mixing spoon
  • Yellow Fleece
  • Brown felt
  • Colorful Fleece or felt
  • Fabric glue
  • Light brown marker
  • Dark brown marker
  • Hot glue gun or super glue

Directions

  1. To make the lion’s face
  2. Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon

To make the mane

  1. Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
  2. Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
  3. Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
  4. Glue the open edges of the fleece together
  5. Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact

To make the ears

  1. Cut round ears from the brown felt

To assemble the lion

  1. Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
  2. Glue the mane to the back of the spoon

To make the bow

  1. Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
  2. Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
  3. Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary
  4. Glue the bow to the handle

To make the tail

  1. Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
  2. With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
  3. Braid the strips
  4. At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free
  5. Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon