Lionheart

November 15, 2015
A boy and a lion go on a journey to conquer fear. In the bedroom, a shadow makes a menacing sound. "Richard hug[s] his Lionheart," a small stuffed lion with a tidy yarn mane and a tag (emphasizing its toyness). But danger threatens, so Richard takes off. Clutching his Lionheart, he runs across a stone bridge, past a town, and into a field. "All around him the grass grew thick, and turned into sticks, and the sticks grew tall, and turned into trees." That sequence pays loving homage to Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, as do Richard's pajamas-cum-lion-suit, with tail and leonine hood. Richard's journey is vast: there are animals of all sorts, toadstools, a magical jungle, tall pointed rocks, a waterfall, and a lost city. It looks like Chichen Itza, unfortunately relying on the trope of including an indigenous creation to enrich a white child's adventure. Collingridge's magnificent paintings employ realism, abstraction, and shifting scale. Grand landscapes harmonize with small, supplementary black-and-white drawings. With posture, texture, and sumptuous, glowing colors, Collingridge maintains a delicate balance between high drama and comfort, risk and safety. Richard loses his Lionheart, then meets him along the way as a full-grown, fully alive lion--enormous and powerful but only a companion and ally rather than savior--when they finally, unforgettably confront the monster. Spellbinding if flawed. (Picture book. 3-8)

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December 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Richard hears a sound, a scary sound at bedtime. He tries to convince himself that there are no monsters. But even hugging Lionheart, his beloved stuffed animal lion, does not give him enough courage. So, he runs. He runs and runs and runs, wearing his pajamas with the lion's tail and furry lion cap, clutching Lionheart all the way. Through the streets, over the hills, into the forest and fields, he runs. He knows he's being chased, and he does not stop until he reaches a magical jungle full of wonders and animals, both big and small. Along the way, however, he drops Lionheart. And now the monster is coming. So, he runs again, until he runs into- literally-Lionheart, who morphs into a huge, brave lion. Together they and the animals go "away from the monster. Away from his fears." They see wondrous things and a beautiful Lost City. Richard forgets he was scared, but then the monster returns. Now, however, all the animals, Richard, and Lionheart issue one loud ROAR, and the monster and all of Richard's fears are gone "once and for all." The last scene shows Richard back in his bed with Lionheart, the stuffed animal, in his lap. The digitally enhanced illustrations are dreamy, suitable for a fantasy. Collingridge has nicely captured the look of both fear and wonder in Richard's face. The overall palette is dark but not scary. VERDICT This fantasy about facing one's fears is well-suited for a bedtime tale or one-on-one sharing.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Preschool-G Richard is scared of a lot of things. He has his faithful toy, Lionheart, for courage, but one day, convinced he is being chased by a monster, he drops Lionheart. He finds himself in a magical jungle full of animals, but with the monster coming, he has to keep running, and he does, until he bumps into Lionheart, who is no longer a stuffed animal, but an enormous lion. Lionheart takes Richard on a magical journey, until finally it's time to face the monsterand, suddenly, Richard isn't scared anymore. The story is a sweet tale of overcoming fears, but it's the illustrations that really steal the show. Collingridge's paintings are lush and dramatic. The monster's shadow follows Richard across several pages before the final showdown, lending a slightly ominous feel, and Lionheart himself is a bright, warm presence who feels as magical as the story itself. A gentle and beautifully crafted tale about fear and imagination.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)