The true story behind it
Everyone hears “lion” and pictures the king of the jungle. I wanted to do the opposite, so Leo is a music teacher who plays the flute. The point I was after, for my own son and for any kid, is that you don’t have to become the thing everyone expects. Where I’m from, children get nudged toward a short list, doctor, engineer, lawyer. But there should be room for every kind of path. A lion doesn’t have to rule anything. He can just make music.
What happens in the story
Leo loves teaching music, but not everyone thinks a lion belongs at the front of a class holding a flute. With a little help from Kitty and Dino, Leo shows the forest that he’s exactly where he’s meant to be. Gentle, a touch funny, and quietly freeing for any kid who’s been told what they’re supposed to be.
Look inside
Flip through the opening, right up to the moment Kitty and Dino meet Leo.
Perfect for
- ✓ The kid who doesn’t fit the mold everyone expects
- ✓ Talking about being yourself, in your own way
- ✓ A reminder that there’s room for every kind of path
- ✓ A birthday gift with a bit of quiet backbone
Quick answers
Give a kid permission to be exactly who they are
One short story. One lion who plays the flute. Ready for tonight.
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