A stone lion watches people outside of a library every day. Though he is made of stone, he is fascinated by the people who sit next to him. The lion longs for the chance to become a warm breathing creature and run in the park near the library. One snowy night a homeless girl and her baby brother sit next to the lion. More than anything the lion wishes he could come alive to help them. This heartwarming story, illustrated with soft pastels, shows that though there are hardships, a little bit of kindness and compassion can change lives. ema

Title: The Stone Lion
Author: Margaret Wild
Illustrator: Rita Voutila
Publisher: Little Hare
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original Title: The Stone Lion
Original Publisher: Little Hare
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-921894855
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Finnish
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Awards: 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Honour Book of the Year
Subjects: Depression-era, Homeless, Libraries, Lions, Reading