When Willoughby moves to a new house, small and isolated, with a treeless yard, the young boy isn't particularly happy. Then he encounters a golden lion who offers him ten wishes, telling him that if he wishes for "the most wonderful thing of all," he (the lion) will be freed from the rock on which he sits. Willoughby wishes for all sorts of wonderful things, from a palace to a roller-coaster, but it is only with his tenth wish, made after he spends some time with the lion, that he hits upon that most wonderful thing...

Although I would describe the conclusion of Willoughby & The Lion, in which the eponymous hero wishes for a true friend, as anything but unexpected, watching this young boy slowly realize what will truly make him happy is satisfying all the same. Author/artist Greg Foley's illustrations, done in black and white with metallic gold accents, are absolutely lovely, and really make this original fairy-tale much more appealing. I particularly enjoyed the two-page spread on which Willoughby and the lion sing songs together. Recommended to young children who love lions, long for magical adventures, or feel a little lonely in their new homes. ( )

Again, I loved the illustrations and the story was entertaining. I was starting to ask myself, 'okay isn't this getting out of hand?', but the way they finished it was sweet and well thought out.

This is the story of Willoughby, whose new house feels too small and very lonely. It's also the story of an enchanted lion and spectacular wishes come true: of roller coasters, and fast, fast shoes, and enormous crowds of people.But most of all, it's the story of one important question: What is the most wonderful thing of all?

This story is about a boy named Willoughby who one day finds a golden lion sitting in his back yard. The lion tells him that he has the power to grant Willoughby 10 wishes, but "unless you with for the most wonderful thing of all, I'll be stuck on this rock forever." It takes Willoughby 9 wishes to wish for what I can only assume was the lion's freedom (it didn't say exactly what the most wonderful wish of all was). The illustrations in this book were very interesting, as they were all done in black, white, and gold, but other than that, there wasn't anything particularly intriguing about this book.
Uses: I could use this story to teach the importance of compassion and not being greedy, but I think there are some better books out there for those lessons than this one.
Medium: pen and some kind of metallic paint; also possibly some collage.

Willoughby hates his new house. He wants to go back to where he came from. He begins a conversation with a golden lion stuck to a large rock in the middle of the yard. The lion informs Willoughby that he can grant up to ten wishes, and so Willoughby wishes for large scale, grandiose items. The lion tells him that he will be stuck on the rock forever if Willoughby doesn't wish for the greatest wish of all, but does not disclose what that wish would be. ( )