“A simple but thought-provoking story.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Endearing.”—Horn Book (starred review)

“A must-have for all collections.”—School Library Journal (starred review)

A sun. A flower. And a lion. With three visual motifs, three colors, and fewer than 200 words,, renowned Caldecott Medal winner and #1 New York Times-bestseller  Kevin Henkes cracks open the wide world and the youngest child’s endless imagination. This irresistible picture book is a must-have for every reader and every family.

On a warm morning, a little lion sleeps under a sun that shines so brightly, it looks like a flower. He dreams the flower is as big as the sun. He dreams the flower is a cookie. He lets his imagination soar.

Caldecott Medal winner Kevin Henkes  uses simple shapes, limited colors, and a pitch-perfect text to tell Lion’s story in this transcendent picture book. Sun Flower Lion introduces emerging readers to short chapters, action verbs, and adjectives, while bright illustrations transform simple shapes into something magical. 

Sun Flower Lion will shine at story time and bedtime and for young children just learning how to read on their own. 

How can three simple shapes tell such a big story?

• A Story of Imagination: Follow a little lion as he dreams that a flower is as big as the sun—and then that it’s a cookie he can eat!
• Ideal for Emerging Readers: With its simple vocabulary, short chapters, and charming repetition, this book is designed to build confidence for those just learning to read.
• Magical, Minimalist Art: See how three simple motifs—a sun, a flower, and a lion—are transformed through a limited color palette into a world of wonder.
• From a Caldecott Medal Winner: A must-have book for every family from the acclaimed and #1 New York Times-bestselling author-illustrator Kevin Henkes.