Hello, everyone! Today, we read Lionheart by Richard Collingridge, a gorgeously illustrated and wonderfully dreamlike story about finding courage, both from one’s friends and within oneself.

Richard is in his bedroom one night with his best friend, his stuffed Lionheart, when he first sees it. But it can’t be real – monsters aren’t truly real… are they? Frightened, Richard flees into the night, losing Lionheart along the way, and running so far that he comes upon a magical jungle. There, he finds Lionheart again, only his beloved stuffed friend is much, MUCH bigger. The monster is still on his tail – can Lionheart help Richard find the courage that lies within him?

We LOVED this book. First, the art is jaw-droppingly beautiful, and transports the reader to the places and emotions that dwell within us all: the cold and dark twisted forests of fear, the sun-warmed and windy mountainsides of triumph, and everything in between. No less fantastic is the story, a fable that weaves together the surreality of a child’s imagination with a down-to-earth story about our capacity for bravery and where it can truly be found. Paired together, the art and text make each page of the story feel epic. The length is great, and JJ adored it. This one is a knockout, we heartily recommend it, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!