The Lonely Lion

An attractively produced book, with good quality paper, print and colour, in a format rather unfortunately described by the publisher as 'a step up from picture books'... as if they were a lower form of print. However, this is a lively story about a lion who longs for his days in the circus (if you object to animal acts, the sentimentality of this stance may bother you) and who is befriended by a boy called Zak and helped to a happier life. There's a reference to 'Albert and the Lion' which may baffle young readers, but this is otherwise a workmanlike book for newly independent readers.