K a t h l e e n P e l l e y S t o r y t e l l i n g A c t i v i t y G u i d e

© 2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 1

Activity Guide

by

Kathleen Pelley

K a t h l e e n P e l l e y S t o r y t e l l i n g A c t i v i t y G u i d e

© 2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 2

One of the many things I love about good stories is that they can provide a space in our

hectic busy lives to simply PAUSE and PONDER some truth, some beauty, or some new way

of looking at the world.

Each month I will invite you to join me as I PAUSE and PONDER upon the story I have just

read.

The Happy Lion

Written by Louise Fatio and illustrated by Roger Duvoisin

PAUSE and PONDER …

Why I love this story?

This deceptively simple tale raises many questions surrounding the whole notion of “happiness.” What is happiness? What makes us happy? Why? Does it change over time? Many years ago, when I conducted a mother/daughter book club, we used this story as part of the Junior Great Books Foundation shared inquiry, and it generated a lively and spirited discussion surrounding this topic.

Souvenirs from the story

Questions worth pondering – What is happiness? What is freedom? What are our “cages?” Is there a “price” for freedom?

Emotional/Universal Truth

What is an emotional truth?

Any editor will tell you that a common weakness of many picture book manuscripts is that it

is “too trite.” In other words, it will not withstand multiple readings, because it is too one

dimensional and lacks a universal, emotional truth. It is NOT a lesson, a moral, or a message!

Rather it is a simple truth, woven seamlessly throughout the story -some truth about love,

hope, pain, joy, or home that a child can understand and connect with. I like to think of it as

that whiff of wonder, that bolt of beauty that lingers with you, long after the last page is

turned or the final word uttered.

Why should this universal truth matter so much to the read-aloud quality of a picture book?

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“The storytellers go back and back, to a clearing in the forest where a great fire burns,

and the old shamans dance and sing, for our heritage of stories began in fire, magic,

the spirit world. And that is where it is held, today.” Doris Lessing

Truth connects us to one another, to our ancestors, and to the world around us. Good

books and stories are all about connections. When we read a story aloud to a child – a story

that truly touches us at the very core of our being with its beauty and its truth, then, we will

naturally breathe our own life and love into those words as we read them aloud. (Notice

how life and spirit, breath and voice are all connected). And, in turn, those words will seep

into the little listener’s heart, making her or him feel brave or bold, calm or kind, happy or

hopeful.

“Adult books maintain lives; children’s books change lives.” Yolen

The “truth” of this story: good friends always make each other happy no matter where they

are.

What souvenir and what “truth” I wonder, will you and your children take from this story?

The following discussion questions and activities are designed for use either with a parent

and a child, or with a teacher and her class or a small group. Most of the discussion

questions are suited for children ages 6-8, but could be adapted for use with younger

children too.

- Kathleen Pelley

K a t h l e e n P e l l e y S t o r y t e l l i n g A c t i v i t y G u i d e

© 2014 Kathleen Pelley KathleenPelleyStorytelling.com Page 4

Discussion Questions (Before beginning, you may want to show children where France is on a map, and explain the French

words in the story – Bonjour – hello, and Au Revoir – Goodbye)

1. Where was the Happy Lion’s house? ( in the town zoo in France)

2. Who were the Lion’s friends? (Francois, Monsieur Dupont, Mdme Pinson)

3. What did the Happy Lion love? (music from the bandstand)

4. Why did the Happy Lion not like his door to be left open? (anyone might walk in)

5. Discuss why Happy Lion thinks that.

6. Discuss why the animals and the humans act so differently when they see Lion walking through town.

7. What happened when the Happy Lion saw the marching band? (everyone ran away)

8. What does the author mean when she says the Happy Lion meditated? (thought deeply about the problem)

9. Have you ever had to meditate about something? Did it help? Discuss

10. Why did the Happy Lion think that people were acting this way? (this was what people always did when they were not at the zoo)

11. Discuss why the Happy Lion did not know that people were afraid of him.

12. What do you think the firemen were going to do to the Happy Lion? (catpure him, frighten him, spray him with hose…..or other suggestions?)

13. Why did the Happy Lion never find out what the firemen were going to do? (Francois came and walked him back to the zoo)

14. Why do you think the Happy Lion never wanted to leave his house again?

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15. Why is the Lion happy even though he isn’t free?

16. Why was Francois not afraid of the lion? (because he knew him and was his friend)

17. What makes you happy? Why? Discuss – what is happiness?

Word Scramble

Unscramble the words… 1. Francois the zoo _ _ _ _ _ _ _( pekeres) son

2. The lion walked out into the _ _ _ _ (rapk)

3. He passed a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (risulerq)

4. He passed some _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (warsorsp)

5. He walked into the _ _ _ _ _ _ (blecob)stone street

6. He met Monsieur Dupont just around the _ _ _ _ _ _ (ronerc)

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Crisscross Words

Use the clues below to complete the crossword.

Across

2. Name of the zookeeper's son

4. Lion loved to listen to this

6. Color of the fire engine

7. Madame Pinson liked to do this

Down

1. Tasty treats the people gave the Lion

3. Lions do this when they are happy

4. This surrounded where the Lion lived

5. They came to capture the Lio

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ART “Happiness” Activity

Working with a child or a group, print out picture of Happy Lion below. Have

children write a list of things that made the Happy Lion happy.

Things that make the Happy Lion happy are:

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ART “Happiness” Activity (Continued)

Have yout child/each child draw a picture of herself/himself then write down a list

of all of the things that makes her/him happy. Display and discuss.

Things that make happy are:

Fill-in your name

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Suggested Reading

The following books all feature a lion- read and discuss any similarities you find.

Lion and Mouse by Aesop

The Lion’s Whiskers by Nancy Raines Day

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

Androcles and the Lion by Denis Nolan

Magnus Maximus, a Marvelous Measurer by Kathleen T. Pelley

K a t h l e e n P e l l e y S t o r y t e l l i n g A c t i v i t y G u i d e

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Answer Key Word Sramble

1. keepers

2. park

3. squirrel

4. sparrows

5. cobble

6. corner

Crisscross Puzzle

Across

2. Francois

4. music

6. red

7. knit

Down

1. tidbits

3. purr

4. moat

5. Firemen