The Biggest Mistake

When Papa Lion decrees, “It’s time for you to catch a gazelle on your own,” his earnest little yellow cub readily accepts the challenge. But the cub’s “mistakes”—the various ways he underestimates what it will take to catch the fleet-footed prey—keep adding up. In minimally detailed vignettes, rendered in thick outlines and uniform fill-in color, the cub can’t outrun the gazelle or outsmart her (despite drawing a “cunning scheme” involving a camouflaged hole). And following an elephant auntie’s suggestion—asking “Can you let me catch you, PLEASE?”—gets him nowhere. The “Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner” vibe is strong in this one, albeit minus the bodily harm (the only injury is to the cub’s budding ego, especially when other gazelles gather to watch the fun). But when the cub seems to throw in the towel, it turns out that the biggest mistake isn’t his, before Pintonato (Detective Mole) reveals one more trick, silly and reassuring, up her narrative sleeve. Bibo’s translation strikes an arch, accessible tone, and playful typography helps those reading aloud hit all the comic beats. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)