AMAZING. Oscar spends a magical and tumultuous two days with a lion who suddenly appears in his house one morning (instead of his parents… who seem to have disappeared). There are a multitude of themes within this story providing moments of despair, awakening, suspension of disbelief, grief, acceptance and finding that balance in life where one feels both joy and pain, however true happiness has an overwhelming sense of purpose. This is a timeless story with little clues along the way to keep you guessing the lion's identity, and a glorious little wink of a twist at the end. Bravo! One for adults AND children to read (preferably together)!

This is a Mary Poppins meets the Tiger Who Came to Tea meets Home Alone and it’s absolutely brilliant! There are a few heart wrenching moments (and a scene about bullying that was quite painful to read) but there’s also lots of fun and humour.

Moving, imaginative family story with haaaaaaaaart.

It did move me. At the start, it felt a little 'Tiger Who Came To Tea', as young Oscar takes his favourite book to his parents' room early one morning to find them gone and a full lion in their place.

Initially terrified, Oscar soon feels slightly less wary as the lion turns out to not only be an excellent reader, but also willing to take Oscar to school, help him face up to a bully, and take him on 'Narnia-type' adventures.

Subtlely included are lots of references to Oscar's busy working parents, often working or on calls, and the recent family sadness that's left Oscar clearly needing comfort and solace. Can just a shape-changing lion, some snow, a museum and a bit of imagination/magic pull Oscar through the weekend before the lion gets hungry again?

It's one of those narratives where you aren't ever sure what to believe. Is the lion real? Are Oscar's parents really eaten? Can anyone else actually see the lion? Allowing the story to flow along pays off, with an incredibly heartfelt story family story emerging, that isn't too detailed for younger readers to access but that older readers will see the history/fuller picture behind.

Loved it. A short story that will need a few bedtimes if reading aloud but that an older child can manage in an hour or two. Currently the book does not contain the illustrations, so I am unable to comment on these.

It has a classic 'feel' to it, in tone and style, and is one I'm going to be sharing with my 6-year-old who I'm sure will look as puzzled (and worried) as I did at the start!

Plenty here to discuss with readers, of various ages. It will capture the interest of those ages 6-11.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

I absolutely adored Oscar's Lion, Adam capture's a child's thought process so wonderfully, there's an innocence that's filled with emotion behind many of the chapters.

Oscar's Lion deals with grief, friendships, family dynamics and the notion of home, whilst touching on those forced to flee in WW2.

A powerful, tender-hearted adventure. Filled with emotion and exquisitely penned.
Emma Perry

This is a very heartwarming book which would lead to lots of book talk in the classroom. It will great for discussions which build empathy. Therefore, it would be great for HRSE. I would use it for a LKS2 English unit where the children could write their own version of the lion’s adventures. I would also use the book to link to art and pencil drawings.

When Oscar wakes one morning and goes to his mum and dad’s room, he finds his parents are gone and a lion has taken their place!

The lion takes Oscar to school, plays with him and makes dens. He also can change from a lion to a bird and to a beetle!

Oscar loves having him look after him, he’s much more fun than his parents are, they’re either working or looking at their phones. However, it’s not too long before he misses his parents.

This is a lovely story and has many messages for children, it also helps children with dealing with grief.

I can’t comment on the illustrations as there weren’t any unfortunately.

My thanks to Harper Collins U.K. and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oscar's Lion is a beautiful book which keeps you guessing every step of the way. It deals with some really profound topics but does so in a way that is imaginative and wildly unpredictable. As I was reading the book, I kept trying to figure out where it was going, but it still took me by surprise...

Oscar wakes up one morning, just before the weekend, to find his parents gone. Instead, there is a lion sitting on his parents' bed, which - without giving him any explanations - essentially starts taking care of him.

Oscar is understandably alarmed, but he notes that the Lion takes better care of him and pays more attention to him than either of his parents have done for a while. When he discovers that the lion is also a shape-shifter, and takes him on some very interesting adventures, Oscar gets totally caught up in the excitement of what is happening - at least for the first few days.

The book deals with some important issues - from good parenting to the loss of homeland to coming to terms with grief. And it does so in a really creative way. It can be enjoyed by any child, but it will be particularly suitable for children who are sensitive and have a vivid imagination.

Oscar wakes up one morning to find his parents absent and a lion in the house. After some immediate concern, Oscar the finds spending a couple of days with a lion isn't so bad.
Some lovely messages and a few twists I don't want to give away. Look forward to seeing the final copy with illustrations too.

I loved this although it is a curious beast (as is the eponymous Lion). As the digital proof doesn't have the illustrations and I can't see the font I'm not exactly sure which age group it's pitched to. Emotionally it's incredibly complex and relies on sophisticated inference and leaps of imagination that I think make it the kind of book that Yr 4/5/6 would engage with well in a class situation in particular. What I really love about Baron's writing is that he's not afraid of creating a complex narrative with no clear answers. Oscar's parents have gone one morning and a Lion is in their bedroom instead. He says he doesn't need feeding for two days... the inference is that he has eaten them of course but Oscar doesn't even really allow himself to dwell too much on this. As the time goes by and the Lion spends more time with him than his parents did (and is more fun!) Oscar starts looking more critically at his relationship with his parents. Is the Lion doing a better job of it despite the unanswered question about whether he might suddenly decide to eat him too? Oscar is still in shock from an event just as strange and alien to him as finding a lion in his house. His beloved Granny has recently died of a heart attack and he didn't get to say goodbye or see it coming and it doesn't seem as though his parents have really helped him through this loss. This is the underlying thread throughout the book- the shock of emotional events and a lack of assistance through it for this bewildered little boy (and someone else it turns out). I really didn't see the ending coming at all so I won't put any spoilers here. What a curious gem, this will stay with me for a long time.