Reviewed by Marcy Schveibinz

Young readers will enjoy this rhyming tale about a ferocious lion who was pretty ordinary until the day he injures himself. He becomes unlike other lions that can run fast to catch their prey and now must rely on plants for food. He learns from other strong plant-eating animals and realizes that he too can be strong without eating animals. The injury helps him to reflect on the harm he was causing other animals. He realizes a fringe benefit of eating plants is kindness and in the end embraces his new lifestyle. The story teaches readers about different animals that thrive only on plants and helps them to identify with the lion in how he showed compassion toward other living beings. Another moral of the story that kids will also learn is that you can turn an unfortunate situation into something positive.

An Unordinary Lion (ISBN 978-1093275704) is published by Dragana Vucic Dekic for young readers ages appropriate for ages 4-8. This 29 page soft cover picture book retails for $9.95 and can be purchase online. For more information about other books by the author, visit the author’s blog at https://momthemuse.com.