The lion at the little French zoo is a favorite of all the townspeople. Every day they stop by to feed him tidbits and say, “Bonjour, ...
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Nov 20, 2011
Eva
rated it: 
3.5 - We found this at the library last week and once we picked it up to read at home I recognized the lion and thought we'd read the story before. It turned out we hadn't, we'd actually read The Happy Lion and the Bear and in the end we liked this more.
I didn't look but I'm guessing this one was the first Happy Lion book. If that's the case maybe that's why we liked it more.
Julia wasn't impressed with the old-timey illustrations while I thought them beautiful. We both agreed the sto More...
I didn't look but I'm guessing this one was the first Happy Lion book. If that's the case maybe that's why we liked it more.
Julia wasn't impressed with the old-timey illustrations while I thought them beautiful. We both agreed the sto More...
Aug 29, 2008
Skylar
rated it:
Good vocabulary and sentence structure, as is often the case with children's classics when compared to the modern stuff. My daughter didn't appreciate the humor in this one; perhaps she is not yet old enough. I won't mentio to my husband that I read it because he gets grumpy about all those children's stories that teach kids that ferocious beasts are cuddly creatures to be petted. Nevertheless, I don't think she'll be leaping the moat at the zoo.
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Jul 05, 2011
Sunhi
rated it: 
"Bonjour, Happy Lion!" Oh, how funny this whole book is. It's fun for both my son and I because he gets to hear the story of the lion and I get to use a faux French accent while reading it. This silly story of a lion who accidentally escapes the zoo of his French town is another of my son's favorites.
The pictures in the book are cute and provide my son with plenty to discuss with me, especially the picture of the lion in the zoo and the picture of the fire engine gettin More...
The pictures in the book are cute and provide my son with plenty to discuss with me, especially the picture of the lion in the zoo and the picture of the fire engine gettin More...
Jun 12, 2011
Tricia
rated it:
Originally published in 1954, this title falls into the realm of classic picture book literature that the librarian in me cannot deny. A happy lion (as the title may suggest) lives in a zoo in a park where he is visited by friends. One morning his house door is left open so he decides to go visiting his friends in their homes. How curious a world it is outside of his zoo home! This is a timeless story that my early elementary daughters enjoyed. Charming!
Jan 11, 2011
Brennan
rated it:
Louise Fatio (1904-1993) might have been hinting towards stereotyping when he wrote this book. When the lion escapes from his looking looking for friends, he can't figure out why the humans aren't treating him like they do when he is at the zoo. Once he is out everyone runs away from him, when all he wants is people to say hello to him like they do at the zoo. Later in the book when he finally finds a friend in the zookeepers son, who takes him back to the zoo.
Nov 09, 2009
Miekka
rated it:
Being that my sons best friend in the whole world is a raggedy stuffed lion that he's had since he was less than one, this book was awesome. Such a friendly lion and he makes friends with a little boy. It was great. Ages 3 and up.
Dec 14, 2011
Paula
rated it:
The happy lion decides one day to go outside of the zoo and finds out that people are not as friendly as they are when they see him behind the gates. He just wants to find one of his familiar friends who said bonjour to him.
Sep 01, 2011
Matthew
rated it: 
What a simple harmless lion story. I really liked that while every adult completely misunderstood the situation, Francois, the child knew just what to do and didn't overreact at all. How delightful!
Jun 25, 2009
Peggy
rated it:
"Bonjour! Happy Lion!" My four-year-old son and I love to say this to each other. This is a classic French story book and such a fun one! I think it's just as much fun for me to read as it is for my my son to listen. It does have that 50ish-early 60's sort of feel to it because of the illustrations, but it's still timeless.
Aug 05, 2011
Alexis
rated it:
A favorite of ours! Cute story line. Why does everyone feel differently about the happy lion today? :)
Aug 01, 2011
Sara
rated it:
Hooray, Happy Lion!
For 50+ years the Happy Lion has reminded children (and also adults) to be nice. *grin*
For 50+ years the Happy Lion has reminded children (and also adults) to be nice. *grin*
Sep 23, 2007
Kelly
rated it:
When I read ths to my Andy he laughs. And laughs and laughs and laughs until I am afraid he is going to rupture something with the force of the laughing. A lion lives in a French park. Every day people stop by to say "bonjour, happy lion!" One day the zookeeper leaves the door to his enclosure open and the happy lion decides to go out into the city and say hello to all his friends. He does so, and all the friends fall over screaming in terror.
We have an audio version o More...
We have an audio version o More...
Dec 16, 2009
Tayla
rated it:
An underappreciated classic. This is one of my all time favorite children's books. I was thrilled when they re-published it because my childhood copy was misplaced some years ago. I may love it so much because of the memory of my dad reading it to me as a child. When he did the Happy Lion sounded a bit like John Wayne....still does if I pick it up and read it now.
Feb 24, 2008
Bentley&Lou
rated it:
My copy of this book is not the 2004 edition, it much older than I am for sure. I grew up reading it and I think it's just as good as I did when I was 5.
Dec 29, 2011
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