Alfred A Knopf for Young Readers has published this book, and sent me a copy for review. The hardcover picture book with pop-ups is lavishly illustrated. Visit your local bookstore and pick up a copy to check it out. The lion leaps out of the pages at you!
Mini Grey is an author/illustrator and Hilaire Belloc (1870-1935) wrote this tale originally. This is not a tame Mother Goose Nursery rhyme. This is a dark tale of a bad boy.
Jim is bored with his life and manages to actually escape the clutches of his nurse at the zoo. The rest of his life is certainly exciting, even if it is short.
If your child has a dark sense of humor, this is just the book for them. It's for ages 3 and up, but I'd be cautious about sharing it with the young ones. This book could cause nightmares if they are sensitive. The original Brothers Grimm wrote fairy tales that didn't have happy endings, and this book fits right in. The pop-ups are fun, and the illustrations are very colorful. I'm sure children will enjoy it because it's not all saccharine, it's scary. Take a look and see what you think. (Be sure to enjoy the lion!)
