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Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure
Friends help a lion who has lost his mane regrow a most unusual one
38 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Bill Peet
53 books235 followersBill Peet was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios. He joined Disney in 1937 and worked on The Jungle Book, Song of the South, Cinderella, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Goliath II, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Fantasia, The Three Caballeros, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other stories.
After successes developing short stories for Disney, Peet had his first book published, Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure.
After successes developing short stories for Disney, Peet had his first book published, Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 28, 2019
Bill Peet, I recently discovered, was an animator for Disney for a long long time and worked on most of the big films. He has a good eye and he has a great sense of story and an eye to make it all work. This feels very Disney to me and it would make a wonderful short cartoon.
We have a lion who is very proud of his bushy mane. But, a spark ignites it and it is burned off and he is humiliated. The town gossip, a bird finds him in a tree and gets his friends. They sit around trying to think of what to do. It is the elephant who figures out to use crocodile tears. No one trusts the crocodile so only the elephant goes to get the tears. Crocodiles don’t shed tears because they don’t get sad, but I’ll let you read it to see how the elephant does fill that bucket. It was good. The elephant brings the tears to lion and he wets his head. Overnight the friends are all tangled in a mess of mane. It is so funny. I can’t believe he came up with this story. It is wonderful. I adore it. I will totally be reading more Bill Peet.
The niece loved the haircut the lion ends up with. Both of the kids cracked up. Both of the kids just loved this story. They laughed and were really into the telling. They thought the crocodile was very creepy. Both kids were pleasantly surprised by this story and both gave it 5 stars. The nephew loved how tangled all the animals were in the mane. It was hilarious, they thought.
I had to get this ILL; our library did not have it. It’s too bad that this story isn’t more popular. It really is a great story. It needs to be remembered. I wouldn’t mind owning it.
We have a lion who is very proud of his bushy mane. But, a spark ignites it and it is burned off and he is humiliated. The town gossip, a bird finds him in a tree and gets his friends. They sit around trying to think of what to do. It is the elephant who figures out to use crocodile tears. No one trusts the crocodile so only the elephant goes to get the tears. Crocodiles don’t shed tears because they don’t get sad, but I’ll let you read it to see how the elephant does fill that bucket. It was good. The elephant brings the tears to lion and he wets his head. Overnight the friends are all tangled in a mess of mane. It is so funny. I can’t believe he came up with this story. It is wonderful. I adore it. I will totally be reading more Bill Peet.
The niece loved the haircut the lion ends up with. Both of the kids cracked up. Both of the kids just loved this story. They laughed and were really into the telling. They thought the crocodile was very creepy. Both kids were pleasantly surprised by this story and both gave it 5 stars. The nephew loved how tangled all the animals were in the mane. It was hilarious, they thought.
I had to get this ILL; our library did not have it. It’s too bad that this story isn’t more popular. It really is a great story. It needs to be remembered. I wouldn’t mind owning it.
September 12, 2021
"Oh no, oh no, too scary!" the boy worries, paging ahead and peeking with fear at spooky jungle scenes and large animals entangled hairfully.
"It's OK, there's a happy ending," dad replies and flips to the last page: Hubert the lion beaming smugly, his problematic locks shorn and under control.
A pause. A moment of thought. A decision.
"OK then, let's read this one, daddy!"
Father of the year? Nah, Bill Peet just makes it look easy.
5 stars. Loved it then, love it now.
"It's OK, there's a happy ending," dad replies and flips to the last page: Hubert the lion beaming smugly, his problematic locks shorn and under control.
A pause. A moment of thought. A decision.
"OK then, let's read this one, daddy!"
Father of the year? Nah, Bill Peet just makes it look easy.
5 stars. Loved it then, love it now.
May 22, 2019
So dang cute! Loved the rhyming too!
December 15, 2021
Another homeschool book with my son. Super cute!
July 28, 2021
Why would you read Dr Seuss when you can read Bill Peet?!
February 14, 2018
This is Peet's first book and one that I hadn't read before so I was able to get a chance to enjoy a new book. The story is presented with a fun cover where the red just catches your eye and helps to emphasize the chaos that is depicted with the cover art.
The actual telling of the story was a bit of several stories that were combined together for you were able to meet Hubert before his original problem and then when his friends came to help another problem or two arose. But even though the reading was a bit long for a book that is presented in this format it does a great job of focusing on the strength of friends, of confirming the need to have patience and courage, of the problems that can be caused by gossiping and also that sometimes the interpretation of some things just don't necessarily have to be so strict.
At the same time the reader is given wonderful access to the story via the illustrations that are so clearly Peet. Although these characters lean more towards the fact of being more animal-like than later characters to follow, there are also plenty of interesting faces given to them that open an array human emotional responses that readers will not only enjoy but relate to.
All in all this was one enjoyable book that I didn't mind getting to know and believe that for slightly older elementary children this book may be a eye-catcher to them.
The actual telling of the story was a bit of several stories that were combined together for you were able to meet Hubert before his original problem and then when his friends came to help another problem or two arose. But even though the reading was a bit long for a book that is presented in this format it does a great job of focusing on the strength of friends, of confirming the need to have patience and courage, of the problems that can be caused by gossiping and also that sometimes the interpretation of some things just don't necessarily have to be so strict.
At the same time the reader is given wonderful access to the story via the illustrations that are so clearly Peet. Although these characters lean more towards the fact of being more animal-like than later characters to follow, there are also plenty of interesting faces given to them that open an array human emotional responses that readers will not only enjoy but relate to.
All in all this was one enjoyable book that I didn't mind getting to know and believe that for slightly older elementary children this book may be a eye-catcher to them.
February 25, 2026
Star Ratings:
⭐: DNF or not worth your time
⭐⭐: a decent read, but probably not recommended
⭐⭐⭐: a worthwhile read, but probably only once
⭐⭐⭐⭐: really liked it, think you should read it, too
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: a must read for everyone, and worthy of re-reading again and again.
⭐: DNF or not worth your time
⭐⭐: a decent read, but probably not recommended
⭐⭐⭐: a worthwhile read, but probably only once
⭐⭐⭐⭐: really liked it, think you should read it, too
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: a must read for everyone, and worthy of re-reading again and again.
April 15, 2015
One of my favourite picture books this year. This story tells of a proud lion who loses his mane when a hot spark ignited his hair. Elephant comes to the rescue with a cure for lion's bald head - crocodile tears!
I found the rhyming text very well-written; and the words flow nicely, making it easy and fun to read-aloud to the kids.
Some words may be a little challenging but my P1 is still able to understand and enjoy the story nonetheless.
Here's a snippet:
"Hubert the Lion was haughty and vain
And especially proud of his elegant mane.
But conceit of this sort isn't proper at all
And Hubert the Lion was due for a fall.
One day as he sharpened his claws on a rock
He received a most horrible, terrible shock.
A flaming hot spark flew up into the air,
Came down on his head and ignited his hair."
I found the rhyming text very well-written; and the words flow nicely, making it easy and fun to read-aloud to the kids.
Some words may be a little challenging but my P1 is still able to understand and enjoy the story nonetheless.
Here's a snippet:
"Hubert the Lion was haughty and vain
And especially proud of his elegant mane.
But conceit of this sort isn't proper at all
And Hubert the Lion was due for a fall.
One day as he sharpened his claws on a rock
He received a most horrible, terrible shock.
A flaming hot spark flew up into the air,
Came down on his head and ignited his hair."
November 27, 2018
A prideful lion looses his mane and some friends decide to help out. A comical tale!
Ages: 4 - 8
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
Ages: 4 - 8
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
May 18, 2011
I grew up on this title and am on a mission to revive the Bill Peet era!
He's one of the original disney movie animators and a fantastic author with a gift for rhyme.
Hubert is a vain lion who burns off his elegant main while filing his claw on a rock. The animals must band together to help him grow it back by getting that most dreaded and terrifying of cure - crocodile tears.
He's one of the original disney movie animators and a fantastic author with a gift for rhyme.
Hubert is a vain lion who burns off his elegant main while filing his claw on a rock. The animals must band together to help him grow it back by getting that most dreaded and terrifying of cure - crocodile tears.
March 30, 2016
Once I started reviewing Peet books, I realized how many books are about accepting yourself. This is different. It is about what happens when you define yourself too much by appearances. The art is fantastic, as always; and it also has a surprising twist that can be used to argue against enabling... Just maybe...
May 25, 2009
Great author of children's books... especially appealing to younger children (maybe 8 and under). Very funny. For the most part, because we read so many children's books, they don't get a review unless they are really great or really bad... or a long book we spent a lot of time reading.
June 29, 2019
Hubert the Lion is very vain about his mane until one day he manages to burn it clean off. The Elephant’s hair-growing cure works all too well, and leaves everyone tangled in Hubert's new crop of hair.
June 6, 2014
cute story. I really enjoyed reading this story to the kids. it was cute rhyming story about a vain lion who loses his hair and tries to get it back. it is a longer kid picture book, not chapter, but not a quick 2 min read. I love Bill Peet's book.
March 2, 2009
My favorite of the Peet books.
March 25, 2012
I think this book is so cute. Hubert and his hair just crack me up. I love that it's written in rhymes, that makes it fun.
December 24, 2012
Oh, how I loved this as a kid! Absolutely brilliant drawings by Bill Peet and I still know half of the verses by heart.
May 2, 2017
Loved It! This book was Hilarious!
September 2, 2014
This is a fun but silly book, with no real moral. It also includes a magical use of crocodile tears.... Not one of my favorite Bill Peet books.
September 22, 2014
An early Peet story and one of his best. No hackneyed cliches or trite moral tale.
March 19, 2015
Wonderfully funny, and packed full of great descriptions! The rhyming is a beautiful thing.
July 13, 2015
Excellent book that provided some fun jumping off points and discussions!
May 9, 2016
A quite funny book about a vain lion who looses his mane and tries to get it back.
May 14, 2016
Bill Peet's stories do go a bit better when he's rhyming, but it still feels pretty careless with such a random ending. Lots of good animals in here for drawing reference/practice, though.
August 24, 2017
I want to say I remember this story from Reading Rainbow though it does not say that. Love the morals, a little wordy but I guess needed. Love the rhyming couplet.
December 31, 2022
A longish picture book, but full of fun, rhyming text and great illustrations. Why have I never read Bill Peet before?
January 23, 2018
This is one of my favorite Bill Peet's so far
May 24, 2015
Our favorite Bill Peet book. My kids laugh and laugh every time Hubert's hair catches on fire.
June 8, 2021
This is the first book I've read by Bill Peet, and it was fun learning beforehand that he was a top illustrator for Walt Disney! I personally want to go find all of his other books. The colored pencil illustrations are incredible, and the meter and rhymes are so much better than most children's picture books. And I love that he uses real animals... I keep wanting to compare him to Dr. Seuss, and so far I would pick Bill Peet.
It's a bit wordy (my 6 year old loved it, my 3 year old couldn't pay attention). But it has morals and characteristics to learn from, much like a long fable. I had the help of Memoria Press's Kindergarten Enrichment guide, which was great! But the book would make a great read-aloud for early elementary even without the guide.
It's a bit wordy (my 6 year old loved it, my 3 year old couldn't pay attention). But it has morals and characteristics to learn from, much like a long fable. I had the help of Memoria Press's Kindergarten Enrichment guide, which was great! But the book would make a great read-aloud for early elementary even without the guide.
September 4, 2024
A cute, poetic adventure with a careless lion who burns off his mane, and the shenanigans involved in using a dubious cure to grow his mane back (TOO) quickly! Unfortunately, the cover is a huge spoiler, but what are you going to do... at least the ending manages to be a bit of a surprise, still!
Fun for all ages, especially young fans of wildlife!
Fun for all ages, especially young fans of wildlife!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews