The Lion King Books

My kids love this book. The pictures are great and the plot is simple.

For me the key lessons from the story are:-

1. That wise men (ie experts) are not always that wise.
2. Government intervention to solve a problem is not always that successful and often does a lot of damage.
3. It is sometimes far better for a government to simply find a way to accommodate a problem rather than try and fix it.

41 years later:

The cheese is government cheese.

The mice objected to the king's idea of good manners as species-centric, and rebelled.

The king blamed the peasants, and forbade them to keep cats or chase mice from their homes.

This made things worse. Peasants that could afford to do so moved as far away from mice as possible.

I can't wait for the next chapter.

This was one of my favorite books since I was a kid. The pictures were funny and the story has two good lessons in it. People should try to figure out your own problems and don't judge a book by its cover. In this case the mice. The king learned to share his home and his cheese and that's the moral of this story. I would recommended this book to my friends if they where doing this project. It is a great learning experience for kids.

One of the best books I have ever read. The message is deep wisdom that our government leaders and makers of US foreign policy would do well to internalize.

Your kids will like it too.

This is a wonderful story and both my 5yo and my 3yo love it (and I like reading it too). The King wants to get rid of the mice and his wise men keep coming up with progressivly worse solutions until the King is right back where he started -- and creative thinking saves the day! Great illustrations.

I came home from a production of The Lion King staged in Appleton, Wisconsin, and was so enthralled I immediately set out to find out "How did they do that?" This book met and exceeded by expectations. I am an amateur costumer and puppeteer and this just the stuff to bring a smile to my face. Before this book I was not aware of Julie Taymor by name (Sorry, from a small town, don't get out much) but I will be looking for her work from now on.

...is seeing the show live. From intellectual concept, to extensive and authentic research, to development with constant referral to the physical, metaphysical, intrinsic, to the workshop...to the stage. One will see that Julie Taymor was THE RIGHT visionary to not only help in the translating an animated film to live theater, but to also retain the human moral behavior and lessons that are paramount for the existence of all people.

This book shows the "creation story" of the Lion King musical. Photos of the workshopping teams in their studio/s, sketches of early ideas, through to finished costuming displayed on the artists themselves.

A pity this book was not available in Australia, but thanks to Amazon I received it in about 3 weeks total.

I have seen the stage production of the Lion King twice--in Toronto and East Lansing, MI. Vendors offered a souvenir photo brochure for $20. For only a few dollars more, I purchased Julie Taymor's book from Amazon describing one of the most amazing creative achievements I have ever seen. Get the book! See the show!

The Lion King on broadway is by far the best most amzing show ever created. Whats so amazing is that the book is as good as the musical. Without Julie Taymor the lion king would not be such a huge success as it is and you find all about this in the book. Some of the pictures of the show itself and the costumes are just wonderful which makes the presentation of the book even more wonderful. I dont even read books but am findin it very hard to put this down and read it over and over again. If you require any info, or are just curious email me simba262626@yahoo.com to discuss this amazing book.

Goblin Market, a verse fairy tale that was first published in 1862, is a rather fascinating piece of masterful poetry. It tells a wonderfully sensuous tale that has inspired a myriad of interpretations. I've spent more time reading about Goblin Market than I did actually reading it - savoring it, rather, for it really calls for a much more personal treatment than a mere reading. This pre-Raphaelite work harbors latent eroticism that echoes with both renunciation and desire. Thus, some term it a work of repressed Victorian eroticism and grin knowingly (and leeringly) as they recount the fact that Goblin Market was quite a popular children's fairy tale in its day. Christine Rossetti was herself a recluse along the lines of Emily Dickinson, allowing her heart to sing freely even as she kept herself separated from any possible objects of her latent desires.

In the poem, one sister gives in to the temptation of the forbidden fruit offered by the dark goblins forever lurking in the twilight to seduce their victims to a first taste of their exotic wares. The desire to obtain more of the passion fruit overtakes her young life, yet the goblins appear to her no more; as a result, she begins to waste away near to death. At this point, her sister, who sensibly avoided temptation, willingly seeks to bargain with the goblins, only to have them force their juicy wares upon her. The fruity residue is enough, however, to revive her sister. The act of salvation is obviously the juiciest part of the story on a number of levels - such a sensual act between sisters, with lines such as "Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices" and "Eat me, drink me, love me," cries out for interpretation of all kinds - and those quick to criticize the hypocritical prudishness of Victorian society have a veritable field day with it.

Some say this is not a poem for children's ears? Balderdash. Like any masterful work of poetry, Goblin Market can be read and interpreted on many levels. Children will delight in its lyrical rhyming patterns, its allusions to wee goblins hawking the most delicious of fruits, and interpret the salvation of the tempted sister in comparatively innocent terms. I say leave the interpretations to the adults. And what interpretations there are of this lengthy poem. Some see in it a recreation of the genesis story, a story of sacrifice and redemption, a tale of lesbian yearning, a declaration of the power of sisterhood, a commentary on women as commodities in market society, evidence of sexual molestation by Rossetti's father, etc. There's no limit to the interpretations put forth about what is, on the surface, an engaging fairy tale set to verse.

This is a fascinating work of lyrical poetry that can be read fairly quickly yet will sustain your interest through multiple readings, all sorts of fascinating research into analysis and interpretation, and just plain wonderment. As sensual as it is beautiful, Goblin Market is probably one of the most fascinating and insightful products of Victorian literature.

I wonder if the good folk at the end of the 19th century when this poem was originally published were just too obtuse to understand the gist of Rossetti's work; if so, we have an innocent artifact that has evolved into something erotic because of our twentieth century sensibilities (we have dirtier minds than our compatriots from the past).

Don't let the word "erotica" scare you away. This is not a blatantly sexual work in its language; it is not a "dirty" book. Just understand that despite what anyone else says or writes, this is about as unambiguously EROTIC as you can get. With phrasing like "Eat me, drink me, love me; Laura, make much of me; For your sake I have braved the glen; And had to do with goblin merchant men."

Since the original work is now in the public domain, if you want to read the full text online just do a search using most standard search engines with the terms "Christina Rossetti Goblin Market" and you should turn up a number of links to the actual poems, go read it, and decide for yourself about it.

This makes a wonderful gift for people you are very close too. However, it is also a very personal poem, and if given inappropriately could actually scare someone away!

Noted Italian/English poetess of the 1800's Christina Rossetti's imagination catching poetry has stood the test of time, being still loved and studied today. Because of its title, Goblin Market sometimes gets put into a juvenile category, but this is a poem for mature readers. This moral tale depicts the epic struggle between bad and good. The goblin's onslaught on virtue immediately engages the reader's inner ear and heart. This poem is really gripping reading. Goblin Market is often considered Christina Rossetti's best poem. This re-issue, replete with noted illustrator Arthor Rackham's beautifully eerie drawings, is a book worth owning.

A children tale for adults. It's a light and thoughtful reading. The story of two sisters and lewd goblin men. Innocence, temptation and emotions all together. This inspiring story has wonderful work of Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

This tale is not about sexuality but about redemption and the need to help others. Read deep into the story to find the meaning that Rossetti intended.

Foo bar, baz!

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The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)


Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. PleAmazon.com cares about children's privacy on the Internet. But we also care about freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas in a safe environment. That's why we've created this separate form for those under the age of 13. When children under 13 submit reviews for their favorite items, we won't ask for names or e-mail addresses, but we'll still enable them to share their opinions.
The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)


Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. Ple

This play about the famously disfunctional family of England's Henry II is perhaps the most devestating family drama this side of "Long Day's Journey into Night".

For those who want a real epic, it can - but doesn't have to - be read as a sequel to Jean Anoilh's "Becket". Personally I found that this adds to the tragedy.

It opens during a fictional family Christmas get together that is combined with a historical meeting between Henry and France's young King Phillip. Henry's persistent humiliation of his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, through his string of mistresses has prompted her to hurt him in the only way available to her - by systematically destroying his relationships with their sons. Now Henry - although not old yet - is no longer a young man. The fact that a potentially dangerous Phillip - who has a legitimate axe to grind with Henry - is no longer a child forces them to realize that their familial intrigues have set their boys up for both internal and external disaster upon Henry's death. They make a real effort to save both their shattered marriage and their shattered children, but it may already be too late ...

The main tragedy, of course, is what Henry and Eleanor have done to their children. Richard is admirably brave but has had much of his compassion beaten out of him and replaced with brutality. Geoffrey's great sense of humor has been blasted in the bud, and his fustrated capability of love makes a weapon of an intelligence that would have been an asset to anyone who would have shown him the slightest affection in return (it's worth noting for those who don't know the family's subsequent history that given the condensed time of the play, Geoffrey would presumably have died in a fatal tournament accident soon after the action of the play - making him even more poignant). John, the youngest son of Robin Hood fame, is somewhat mishandled - his failure had much to do with Richard's prior mismanagement and lousy historical timing rather than his own faults, and the ruthless streak that doomed Geoffrey's son Arthur (who isn't in the play) as well as his general competence in many instances (he would later rescue Eleanor from a siege in a manner that would have done Richard proud) doesn't really come across - but in an otherwise excellent play Goldman can be forgiven for bowing to popular opinion in one case.

An accurate depiction of the dynamics of the Plantagenet family, "The Lion in Winter" is also a timeless study of what constitutes a healthy family.

I recently completed a production of this fine play where I played Geoffrey, Duke of Aquataine. I have done a lot of play and this without a doubt is the most well written. Goldman does not waste a single word in the play.

I just bought a new copy of this play and I am so very, very happy that I did. I dashed through it and then reread my favorite parts. I hadn't read it in many years, but my respect has really grown for the playwright's wit and imagination. What an absolutely wonderful play. Of course, I love the film, but it was great fun to see how the play moves rapidly and the dialog is so biting and bitter at times. I agree with all the reviewers. Buy this play because it is a classic play with ripping dialog.

I have to say Iam in love with this book. I know every line by heart. I saw the movie frist. Also a A+++++ movie. I don't know, something about it.It somehow just gets under your skin. Anyone who loves history. Or just just great works of writing should have this little book.

I tend to do things without paying as much attention as I should, like buying this book without researching it's details.

I bought the book because my 5 year old daugher loves to draw, and because she's nuts over the Lion King at the moment. I figured it would be great for her to see not just finished work (like what winds up on television) but to also see sketches, concept drawing and paintings, and the like.

So I bought it. When I received it and saw it's pocket size I was so happy! It's absolutely the perfect size for a little kiddo like her, but the content is professional, serious and mature as I had expected. It's hard cover, totally full of pictures, and has glossy pages printed on high-quality paper. Some folks might have been put off by the size but for my purposes it was more than perfect!

We have great fun looking through it together and looking at all the different styles of artwork. If you or your kid likes to draw or paint, and likes this movie, You'll really be sorry if you don't buy a copy. No I don't work for Disney or Amazon. I just like to encourage and support my childs love for art any chance I get, and boy was this a great addition to her library.

Apart from the fact that my copy was close to pocket size, i thought that this book was fantastic. Not only does it come filled with amazing concepts, it also is accompanied with the Lion King Storyline. As an illustrator and student animator, it is a wonderful addition to my resources. The sketches through to the complete full colour images are for any Lion King fan, artists or just someone wanting a beautiful coffee table book. If your from overseas like myself and cannot get these kind of books in Australia, i reccommend Amazon and their associate stores. Buy this, its great.

I received this book as a birthday present last month. To say the least, I was overwhelmed with all the artwork in this book. I love it! The artwork and production animation is breathtaking! It's a really awesome book, I'd get it if I were you! You can't go wrong with "The Art of The Lion King"!!!

This book is one of the most exquisite things to come out of The Lion King. The graphics are beautiful. Most of the pictures are ones that are used for the storyboard and layout scenes. I reccommend it to anyone who loves The Lion King, or just Disney in general. Order with confidence - the book is worth much more than its price tag. It is also much more convient than the larger, more expensive version which I believe is no longer being produced.

"The Lion King," Disney's 32nd animated film proved to be a smashing success, appealing to young, old, and those in between. As it filled movie houses, Disney mania swept the country again. The breathtaking visual effects that fascinated so many are brought to stunning life in "The Art of the Lion King" by Christopher Finch.

This lavish folio-size volume traces the creative process utilized in making the film, from black and white sketches to glorious full-color reproductions and even splendid fold-outs, one exhibiting the surreal beauty of the African natural world.

Actor James Earl Jones, the voice of Mufasa the Lion King in the film, contributes the foreword, while the text is by Christopher Finch, author of "The Art of Walt Disney."

Those fascinated by the art of animation and those touched by the story of Mufasa, Simba and Scar will treasure this color and fact filled memento.

- Gail Cooke

As a single Mom I have found a perfect way to get your kids involved in beginning to read, and beyond. Since your kids are bound to know all the characters and the voices getting them involed in following along with the written story is as easy as it comes. Later they will read the stories themselves again and again. Not only is this collection entertaining for the kids but you parents will not get bored with them as well. As you know those long trips to Grandma's house you can get pretty sick of those "Sing a Long" kids songs after the first few times through them. This will eliminate that and get the kids on the path to reading enjoyment. A+ in my book.

I am taking care of a three and a five year old boy. They both love to listen to the stories and the five year old enjoys "reading" along in the books and being able to turn the pages all by himself.
The kid's room turns amazingly quiet as soon as I put the CD in.
I'm very happy with this product!

This is a good product. Perfect for short and long travel. Provokes reading interest in children.

A real bargin, you get a greate product for a greate price, deffinaly worth the money!
My girl 5,5 years old just love these stories aboute the Lion king, she lissens to them in the car and on her cd-player in her room. We have put the Cd in a hard cd case and bought a plastic box for the books, the box they come in were not that sturdy, and the books could have been ruined if we did not put them somewere else, especially when she wants them in the car, and then out of the car in her room and so on...
We will definatly buy more books from this serie! highly recomend them, you will not get dissapointed.

I have been an Elizabeth E. Wein fan since I discovered Winter Prince a few months ago, and I think this book is amazing. I really like the character of Goewin; she's tough and smart and she is not afraid to try things a woman in her time did not do. I admire that, and I also like her stubbornness. :) I enjoyed the plot, the dilemmas involved in the succession of kingship (especially for Goewin), though initially I had to keep looking up the Ethiopic terms in the back. But I found the whole book enjoyable, and I feel as if I know and care about all the characters at the end. I hope Ms. Wein continues this series for many more books, because I can assure you I will read them all!

Wein has pulled together the finest fabrics of fiction and brought them together in one masterpiece of a novel. The book is thick with lush description of the colorful Aksum and equally enthralling characters.

Princess Goewin is swept off to Africa, where she is to marry Constantine, after her family is killed. Here we meet Priamos, son of Caleb; Telemakos, Goewin's enchanting young nephew, son of her half-brother; and Candake, the "queen of queens," and many more. As the story progresses, Goewin learns much from Aksumite people and takes matters into her own hands.

Over all, this is an excellently written book that will leave readers of all ages waiting for the next companion book (The Sunbird).

I read The Winter Prince six or seven years ago and I didn't know a continuation was in the works until a few months ago. Which is probably a good thing considering how annoyingly slowly those months passed. It was not the sort of book you forget.

I read A Coalition of Lions in a day. It's a fast read and actually a good deal lighter than The Winter Prince, though that's not saying much. Though the books follow many of the same characters, the narrators are different and I thought COL was not nearly as intense. The history, descriptions, and imagery in this book were wonderful. There are some clever connections, excellent lines, and memorable moments as well.

While it deserves every one of those five stars, I couldn't conceive of saying it is as good as The Winter Prince. But this in a sort of Joseph Heller sort of way. When people tell him he never wrote anything better than Catch-22, he responds with "Who has?" My favorite part was Medraut hitting the target (well, no not really but that was great). He didn't get many lines, but I would (and did!) wait six years for him, too. Speaking of waiting, let's hope the next book is on its way to the printers.

A 1000 yr. old King is dying and only the Wonder Doctor can save him by collecting a magic plant which blooms but once a year. On his travels to find the plant the doctor tells all the animals he meets to go the the Copper Castle and tell the king a story, only these will keep him alive until the doctor returns. The animal's stories are both enchanting and captivating fitting together like the pieces of a puzzle. Dwarves, dragons and magical lands will keep your interest until the end which, like a good malt whisky, is rounded and smooth. I first read this book at the age of 8 and have read it at least 15 times since. I am a primary school teacher and have read it to all the classes I have taught. This books is appealing to all age ranges, including adults. If you find a copy BUY it! You will not be disappointed.

I sometimes wonder whether publishers every look at their back-lists, because this is a jewel of a book that any child of 6-10 would adore. In fact, it's what got my son, a reluctant reader, hooked on books.
The King of the Copper Mountain, Mansolain, is 1000 years old and his heart is running down. The brave and kindly Witch Doctor sets out on a perilous quest to find the medicine to make it like young again, but to keep him alive he sends back the animals he meets on his journeys to tell an exicting story to make his heart beat more strongly. And my goodness, do they make a child's heart beat too. How a wolf outwits a dreadful witch, how a horse with golden hooves wins his freedom, how a dragon escapes from a cruel mistress after being sold off by his drunken father all thrill. Yet there are other stories of heart-rending gentleness and simplicity - a rabbit who loses his borther in the sand-dunes, a beetle in search of the perfect hom, a duck who stubbornly refuses to help a dwarf and loses a chance of flying to another world. Most intriguingly of all, the stories all inter-link, so that we discover more about the mysterious king and his copper castle. Beautifully written in a haunting, deceptively simple prose that evokes deep feeling this is a classic. I loved it as a child, and my own children love it too. Please, someone, BRING IT BACK.

I read this book again and again from the time I was 8 years old until I was 10. It never ceased to fascinate me as a child. I can't seem to find a copy for my own kids. If you are looking for a good bedtime story for children it is a must read.

I checked this book out from the library and loved it so much that I'm going to purchase a copy to own. Other reviewers have covered the fiction/fact aspect of the book, so I'll limit my comments to the beauty of the story and the illustrations. Adult readers familiar with Joseph Campbell will recognize elements of the hero-tale framework in the narrative. The story itself is compelling and captivating to children and adults alike. My 5 1/2 year old son eagerly chose it as his bed-time story every night until we finished it. (It's a long read-aloud for one sitting -- too long for a 5 year old at bedtime.) My 7 year old daughter and I were equally enthralled.

The illustrations are incredibly rich and detailed, with African-influenced stylization. They are fully up to the task of supporting the beautiful narrative. The paintings, along with some illustrative detail inserted into the text areas of the story give the book a regal, special feel, almost as if it should be handled reverently.

This book would be a wonderful addition to anyone's book collection and would make a beautiful gift. I also recommend the book "Sundiata: Lion King of Mali" by David Wisniewski as a prequel. Sundiata is portrayed as Mansa Musa's grandfather in the Burns book -- a detail which may or may not be factual. Regardless, it's another well told and nicely illustrated Mali legend.

If you are looking for a strictly historical book, go elsewhere. The main story is entirely fictional. However, it is beautifully told and gorgeously illustrated, and it is well researched historical fiction. No, we know nothing of the childhood of the famous Mansa Musa--however, the portrayal of the cultures and ways of life of the people is vivid and accurate, and this legend-like tale will surely gain a deserving place in the canon of children's literature.

For educational use, this is of fairly limited *factual* use because of the dearth of written accounts about Mansa Musa and his reign and, as a result, the fictional nature of the main narrative. However, the epilogue is factual (if not completely impervious to debate), and the entire book would be great as a fictional supplement to the study of the Middle Ages, especially as it takes the point of view of a non-Western culture and focuses upon an important historical figure who is often glossed over (because of lack of information and his lack of impact upon the West) in typical courses of study.

This book would be excellent for people of any background who enjoy history, good story-telling, and breathtaking illustrations.

For other great, beautifully illustrated, African-oriented picture books, try these:

Why do Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears? - an animal myth

The Marriage of the Rain-Goddess - based on a South African myth, it contains many elements common to African folklore and fairytales (such as the substitute bride)

African Princess - nonfiction about 6 royal women of Africa, from ancient Egypt to the 20th (and 21st) century. Painted illustrations are limited to one portrait per woman, but the book is fascinating and unusual, and photographs are skillfully chosen to complement the text.

African Princes - Complement to African Princesses.

There is a great deal of historical evidence in support of the mighty empire of Mali and the trek of the great king Mansa Musa across the Sahara Desert to Mecca. Some European historical accounts have him listed as the king of all of Africa. There is solid historical evidence that he lived in the early 1300's and further evidence that a mighty fleet of ships departed from the kingdom and made landfall in the Western Hemisphere during his reign. This would mean that their arrival predated the voyage of Christopher Columbus by almost two centuries.
This story is an account of the life of Mansa Musa before he became king, and while the background is historically accurate, most of the account of his life before he became king is fictional. Some of it is based on cultural myths that are still part of the Mali culture, but it is clear that there were once mighty empires in Africa. I found this book very interesting because it tells of an aspect of African history that we in the west rarely if ever hear about. The empires of Egypt and Nubia are part of the historical education of every western child, but the mighty nations that once existed in other parts of Africa are largely ignored. Most of the Africans captured and sold into slavery were from the northwest section of Africa and it is a western cultural myth that they were savages. From the historical events on which this book is based, a strong and civilized nation existed in that area several centuries before the slave trade began.
The authors do a good job in writing about the early life of Mansa Musa. It is an appropriate blend of a story for children with just enough adult features to make it appeal to all ages. Once I completed the book, my interest was so aroused that I did an online search for books on Mansa Musa and the empire of Mali.

Great Read! A wonderful disney story! Many different emotions throughout the book and life learning experiences that happen through all the events. Best sequel I've ever read in a children's book!

It was the best Disney book I have ever read. I am a Disney fanatic, and would have wished so much, to meet Walt Disney, even though he is frozen at the moment. I loved this book, because it was so heartwarming to me, and it reminds me of everyday life...I mean the story. You never know what is going to happen next. Something dangerous, something funny, or something romantic? I guess it was so special, because my life is exactly like the ones of Kovu and Kiara. The writers must have put a lot of time and thinking for this story. I wish the best. Thanks!

I am a Lion King freak, and so have collected many children's books. I often am disapointed that the drawings barely resemble the actuall characters. This book is not a disapointment, the pictures are wonderfull, and I flip through it again and again. It also goes very in depth with the story, readers with a short attention span may get bored with the long text.