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Feb 24, 2014
A common childhood emotion, fear, is addressed in Robie Harris’ When Lions Roar. Many things are actually quite scary for young children. Preschoolers, for example, often have fears about the dark at bedtime. In this new picture book, a little boy is frightened by loud noises “when thunder booms”, “when lightning cracks”, “when lions roar” and “when monkeys screech”. What does this boy do about his fears? When they seem too close, and when he feels about to be overpowered by them, he closes his eyes, gathers his courage and firmly tells the scaries to go away! Gradually the quiet returns to his world. The sun comes out and he can see flowers blooming. His parents and his puppy are nearby. He sees other children playing … the world is right again. As this reassuring, sensitive picture book demonstrates, facing one’s fears and thinking positively can be amazingly effective, even for young children. (Two other excellent picture books which address childhood fears and anxieties are Nancy Carlson’s “There’s a Big Beautiful World Out There” and Cornelia Spelman’s “When I Feel Scared”.) The author’s message is nicely reinforced with the simple but expressive drawings of Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka.