When Jack and Ella come across a friendly--and talented!--lion in their backyard they are thrilled to take him in as their pet. And they're positive they know just how to care for their new pet, ignoring Grandpa's cheeky asides. But soon Leopold the Lion grows despondent and chubby. Even the circus who lost him won't take him back! Do Jack and Ella know what to do to get Leopold healthy again? A sweet story with a subtle commentary on making healthy choices. PreS-Gr 2—Jack and Ella discover a lion doing somersaults on their backyard trampoline and want to keep him. While the siblings easily sneak the wild feline past their distracted parents, their grandpa knowingly quips, "Doesn't look like an indoor cat to me." After Leopold is fed a misguided diet of junk food, his fur becomes knotted and the sparkle goes out of his eyes. His physical prowess is also dulled by hours of languidly playing on mobile devices. Barshaw's ink and watercolor cartoon illustrations drive home the message by showing the former king of the jungle lolling supine on the floor surrounded by empty snack wrappers and pop bottles. When reunited with his circus family, Leopold is unable to do his trademark tricks and is unceremoniously ousted. Jack and Ella bring him back home and, this time, provide a nutritious regime of "freeze-dried wildebeest" and plenty of rigorous exercise. VERDICT A whimsical story that could spark healthy living discussions.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Leopold the Lion provides a fun story of how to children adopt a friendly lion over the summer vacation, only to find that when they return to school, Leopold has too much idle time on this hands. But time management isn't the problem - it's the health issues that stem from sitting around, which changes Leopold's very personality. How can his friends help him be the lion he was when he met them? The underlying messages about physical fitness are clear, and when folded into the gentle story of a lion who loves to eat, it offers good insights to kids about their own habits and their impact - all couched in a fun picture book read. --Donovan Literary Services Denise Brennan-Nelson has written a number of books for children, including Tallulah: Mermaid of the Great Lakes , Leopold the Lion , Someday Is Not a Day of the Week , My Momma Likes to Say , and the popular Willow series. As a national speaker, Denise encourages adults and children to tap into their imaginations to create richer, fuller lives. She travels the country, sharing her reading and writing enthusiasm with schoolchildren and teachers. Denise lives in Howell, Michigan with her husband, Bob. She strives to spend each day teaching and learning with a creative spirit. Find out more about Denise at www.denisebrennannelson.com. Illustrator Ruth McNally Barshaw wrote and illustrated six novels for the Ellie McDoodle series. She and her husband travel widely teaching writing and story-creation workshops to kids and teachers.