#731 of 1001 · August 1, 2022

I have now written seven hundred thirty of these daily book reviews, which means I’ve been posting for exactly two years! I’m excited to have come this far, and I’ve still got a whole lot more that I’m excited to share with you all. Many thanks for reading and responding! To conclude my second year, let us immerse ourselves in a little-known but absolutely incredible book: Lionheart by Richard Collingridge. The story traverses the boundary between waking and dreaming, between real life and the world of imagination, with a fluid ease. Young Richard, alone but for his beloved stuffed toy Lionheart, is deeply afraid. He cannot stay in his room, for he is being menaced by a terrifying monster, a sinister dragon-snake that haunts him like a slithery nightmare. Richard runs from his home out into the night, stalked at every turn by the shadow creature, accidentally dropping Lionheart in his anxiety. He finds his way into a strange jungle populated by a host of animals. Oh and on he goes until suddenly Lionheart appears before him as a fully grown lion. Together, boy and beast take a stand and banish the dark, looming serpent with a ferocious roar, joined by all the animals of the jungle. Having conquered his fears, Richard finds himself back in his bedroom, morning light streaming through the windows, Lionheart a stuffed toy once more. With gentle text and truly epic illustrations, Collingridge creates a stunning portrait of childhood emotion, equal parts high fantasy grandeur and tender picture book intimacy. #lion #heart #dark #shadow #monster #creature #jungle #beast #animal #animals #fear #emotions #book #books #childrensbooks #picturebook #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks