Happy Lion facts for kids
The Happy Lion is a popular children's picture book from 1954. It was written by Louise Fatio and beautifully illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. The story is about a friendly lion in France who lives in a small zoo. One day, he decides to explore the town. He is surprised when the people who used to visit him at the zoo are now scared of him!
This book became very popular and led to many more stories about the Happy Lion. An 8-minute short film was also made by Weston Woods Studios. In 1956, The Happy Lion won an important award in Germany called the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis.
The Happy Lion Story
The main character of the book is a lion who lives in a small zoo in France. He is known as the "Happy Lion" because he is very friendly and enjoys seeing visitors. People often come to the zoo just to say hello to him.
One day, the lion's keeper forgets to close his cage door. The Happy Lion decides to take a walk outside the zoo. He expects everyone to be happy to see him, just like they are at the zoo. But to his surprise, people run away in fear! This makes the Happy Lion sad and confused. He doesn't understand why his friends are suddenly so scared. The story explores themes of understanding and how appearances can be deceiving.
The Happy Lion Book Series
Because the first book was so loved, Louise Fatio and Roger Duvoisin created many more adventures for the Happy Lion. These books continued to share his gentle nature and his interactions with the world around him.
Here are the books in The Happy Lion series:
- The Happy Lion (1954)
- The Happy Lion in Africa (1955)
- The Happy Lion Roars (1957)
- The Three Happy Lions (1959)
- The Happy Lion's Quest (1961)
- The Happy Lion and the Bear (1964)
- The Happy Lion's Holiday (also known as The Happy Lion's Vacation) (1967)
- The Happy Lion's Treasure (1970)
- The Happy Lion's Rabbits (1974)
- The Happy Lioness (1980)
