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    My Best Friend Is a Lion

    Author Deb Pilutti
    Illustrated by Deb Pilutti
    Look inside
    Hardcover
    $18.99 US
    Penguin Young Readers | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
    10.88"W x 9.25"H x 0.38"D  
    On sale Jan 06, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9780593860137
    Preschool - 3
    Reading Level: Lexile 580L
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    When you're having friendship troubles, a pet lion could be the perfect antidote!

    Friendship troubles are hard! Especially when your best friends start leaving you out of their fun.

    But this little girl knows what would make everything better—a lion! If her best friend was a lion, they could go to the park without an adult, do amazing dunks on the basketball court, and get free ice cream whenever they want. Everyone would be jealous—especially those other friends.

    A lion would definitely fix things, right?

    Imagining and drawing some of their adventures help her work through her big feelings. And it turns out that sometimes, problems get better with a little time, creativity, and being yourself.
    Deb Pilutti wrote and illustrated Old Rock (is not boring), Ten Rules of Being a Superhero, Bear and Squirrel Are Friends, and The Secrets of Ninja School, and illustrated Idea Jar by Adam Lehrhaupt. Deb lives with her husband and their border collie, Wilson, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Follow her on Twitter @dpilutti. View titles by Deb Pilutti
    “An excellent story that will help many children navigate feelings of loneliness and exclusion with a sweet ending . . . The lesson of using one’s imagination for problem-solving is subtle but very effective.” –School Library Journal


    “The simple text, relatable message, and witty pictures make this a fun addition to friendship-themed story times . . . [A] sweet picture book.” —Booklist

    “This imaginative tale softly showcases friendship exclusion and working through one’s feelings with creativity . . . Humor comes through the bright illustrations . . . A gentle, amiable friendship tale.” —Kirkus Reviews

    “In this winsome picture book . . . dissonance between the narrator’s confident words describing the perks of lion friendship and the illustrated reactions of terrified adults adds both humor and a layer of emotional depth . . . When the narrator is revealed to be illustrating her fantasies with sidewalk chalk . . . sharing her creativity both cheers her and attracts friends old and new.” —The Horn Book Magazine
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    About

    When you're having friendship troubles, a pet lion could be the perfect antidote!

    Friendship troubles are hard! Especially when your best friends start leaving you out of their fun.

    But this little girl knows what would make everything better—a lion! If her best friend was a lion, they could go to the park without an adult, do amazing dunks on the basketball court, and get free ice cream whenever they want. Everyone would be jealous—especially those other friends.

    A lion would definitely fix things, right?

    Imagining and drawing some of their adventures help her work through her big feelings. And it turns out that sometimes, problems get better with a little time, creativity, and being yourself.

    Author

    Deb Pilutti wrote and illustrated Old Rock (is not boring), Ten Rules of Being a Superhero, Bear and Squirrel Are Friends, and The Secrets of Ninja School, and illustrated Idea Jar by Adam Lehrhaupt. Deb lives with her husband and their border collie, Wilson, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Follow her on Twitter @dpilutti. View titles by Deb Pilutti

    Praise

    “An excellent story that will help many children navigate feelings of loneliness and exclusion with a sweet ending . . . The lesson of using one’s imagination for problem-solving is subtle but very effective.” –School Library Journal


    “The simple text, relatable message, and witty pictures make this a fun addition to friendship-themed story times . . . [A] sweet picture book.” —Booklist

    “This imaginative tale softly showcases friendship exclusion and working through one’s feelings with creativity . . . Humor comes through the bright illustrations . . . A gentle, amiable friendship tale.” —Kirkus Reviews

    “In this winsome picture book . . . dissonance between the narrator’s confident words describing the perks of lion friendship and the illustrated reactions of terrified adults adds both humor and a layer of emotional depth . . . When the narrator is revealed to be illustrating her fantasies with sidewalk chalk . . . sharing her creativity both cheers her and attracts friends old and new.” —The Horn Book Magazine

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