My Best Friend Is a Lion

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, The Dinosaur in the Garden, 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.

“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