A mountain lion mother keeps her two playful cubs safe in this lovely picture-book from author/artist Jim Arnosky, watching over them as they cavort about their home on a high mountain ledge, keeping them warm and fed, and providing them the sense of security that they need...

Like so many of Arnosky's other picture-books - Raindrops & Rabbits, Babies in the Bayou, etc. - Little Lions pairs a simple text (no more than a phrase or sentence per page) with beautiful artwork. Both words and images succeed in capturing the charm of such little cubs, contrasting their smallness and vulnerability with their mother's larger size and restrained fierceness. I particularly liked the scene in which mother lion must keep her curious cub from tumbling over the cliff, by grabbing hold of his tail. I also appreciated the fact that this is a book about mountain lions (AKA cougars, pumas, panthers, or catamounts), as I feel that I see children's books about other great cats (lions, tigers, and so on) far more frequently. This is not an informational book, in a strict sense. There is no back matter, no list of sources. But it will inspire in young children an interest in the natural world, and its wonderful creatures. Recommended to young animal lovers, ages two through five. ( )

This picture book appears to appeal to a particularly broad range of readers. (I believe it was a third-grade class that first requested this read-aloud.) It's a short book, just a few words, with beautiful illustrations that depict a mother mountain lion lovingly interacting with her babies. ( )