How to Lose a Lemur by Frann Preston-Gannon

How to Lose a Lemur by Frann Preston-Gannon
Copyright 2014
Sterling Children's Books - Preschool to early reader
Source: Sterling

Clearly, Sterling sends me a lot of children's books and I've fallen behind in the reviewing but I absolutely love their books and How to Lose a Lemur is a personal favorite.  It starts out, "Everybody knows that once a lemur takes a liking to you, there is not much that can be done about it."

I read that first sentence and had no idea where the book was going to take me but then the first lemur starts to follow the little boy narrating and from there the book just gets cuter every time you turn the page.

The little boy tries hiding up a tree, riding away on his bike, and telling the lemurs to leave.  By this point, he has five lemurs following him, two of them clinging to his body and all of them smiling as he sternly insists that they must go away.  It doesn't work so he hops a train and then a boat:

And, so forth, with the little boy traveling in a hot air balloon, across the desert on a camel, climbing the highest mountain he can find and walking through a forest.  And, then he realizes he's lost and alone.  But, of course, he's not alone because the familiar faces of the five lemurs that have followed him everywhere appear.  They take him by the hand and lead him back home.

And, then he realizes maybe it's not so bad being friends with a lemur, after all.  Or, five, in this case, the theme being that it's a good idea to give new people a chance if they want to be your friend.

Highly recommended:  I know I've highly recommended all three of the last books I've reviewed but I really think the quality is exceptional.  How to Lose a Lemur is the kind of book you stick your nose up to to sniff, but even more important it's a good story with wonderful illustrations and a solid theme. And, the lemurs are so freaking cute. I smiled all the way through the reading of this book.  It's definitely one I'll hang onto for future grandchildren and the kind that makes me want to run out and find a child to read to.

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