TITLE: The Lion's Whisker: Sister and Brother Take on a Challenge Together
AUTHOR: Rebecca Sheir
PUBLISHER: Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1635865202
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Rebecca Sheir’s mission is to bring folktales to people. She does this on a weekly basis through the podcast Circle Round, produced by WBUR, Boston’s NPR radio station. Sheir’s show is devoted to the less common folktales – less Little Red Riding Hood and more The Grateful Prince. Now, in conjunction with Storey Publishing, she’s able to bring the stories she tells on her podcast to a larger audience through publishing a book of her own.
The Lion’s Whisker: Sister and Brother Take On A Challenge Together is the fourth book released by Rebecca Sheir through Storey Publishing. Illustrated by the Kenyan artist Nikita Abuya, the book is an adaptation of a traditional Ethiopian story of learning to get along with someone you fight with. This variation of the folktale involves a brother and sister team, rather than the typical versions of the tale which tend to skew towards older protagonists.
Sheir’s adaptation of the folktale to appeal to a younger audience is a brilliant choice. In The Lion’s Whisker, Sister and Brother pair constantly fight, much to their grandmother’s chagrin. Finally fed up, she offers to make them a special, secret potion to get them to get along. The only difficulty is that in order to make the potion she requires a hard-to-find ingredient… a lion’s whisker.
Sister is determined to get that lion’s whisker, and baits a lion with some meat by the stream. Brother is more cautious, but comes around the next day to join her in her quest to fetch it. By the third day, they are able to ask King Lion for his whisker, which he willingly gives. There is no potion, of course. There is no quick fix for permanently solving all disagreements. All there is is the patience, care, courage, and respect that Sister and Brother learn through working together to get the lion’s whisker. These lessons they can carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.
Nikita Abuya’s illustrations are vibrant and fun. Her art is dynamic and stylized without being distracting. Helpfully, the book also contains a variety of activities for kids to do together to continue to impart the lessons of “patience, care, courage and respect.” From mask-making to scavenger hunts inspired by the story, this book will reward its readers, both young and old.
AUTHOR: Rebecca Sheir
PUBLISHER: Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1635865202
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Rebecca Sheir’s mission is to bring folktales to people. She does this on a weekly basis through the podcast Circle Round, produced by WBUR, Boston’s NPR radio station. Sheir’s show is devoted to the less common folktales – less Little Red Riding Hood and more The Grateful Prince. Now, in conjunction with Storey Publishing, she’s able to bring the stories she tells on her podcast to a larger audience through publishing a book of her own.
The Lion’s Whisker: Sister and Brother Take On A Challenge Together is the fourth book released by Rebecca Sheir through Storey Publishing. Illustrated by the Kenyan artist Nikita Abuya, the book is an adaptation of a traditional Ethiopian story of learning to get along with someone you fight with. This variation of the folktale involves a brother and sister team, rather than the typical versions of the tale which tend to skew towards older protagonists.
Sheir’s adaptation of the folktale to appeal to a younger audience is a brilliant choice. In The Lion’s Whisker, Sister and Brother pair constantly fight, much to their grandmother’s chagrin. Finally fed up, she offers to make them a special, secret potion to get them to get along. The only difficulty is that in order to make the potion she requires a hard-to-find ingredient… a lion’s whisker.
Sister is determined to get that lion’s whisker, and baits a lion with some meat by the stream. Brother is more cautious, but comes around the next day to join her in her quest to fetch it. By the third day, they are able to ask King Lion for his whisker, which he willingly gives. There is no potion, of course. There is no quick fix for permanently solving all disagreements. All there is is the patience, care, courage, and respect that Sister and Brother learn through working together to get the lion’s whisker. These lessons they can carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.
Nikita Abuya’s illustrations are vibrant and fun. Her art is dynamic and stylized without being distracting. Helpfully, the book also contains a variety of activities for kids to do together to continue to impart the lessons of “patience, care, courage and respect.” From mask-making to scavenger hunts inspired by the story, this book will reward its readers, both young and old.