Honey... Honey... Lion! by Jan Brett


Honey... Honey... Lion!
Title : Honey... Honey... Lion!
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0147513529
ISBN-10 : 9780147513526
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 40
Publication : First published August 25, 2005

The African plains provide a stunning environment for Jan Brett's latest animal adventure. For as long as anyone can remember, the honeyguide bird and the African honey badger have been partners when it comes to finds the honeycomb, Badger breaks it open, and they share the sweetness inside.

But this day, Badger keeps all the honey for himself. Foolish Badger!

In no time, Honeyguide leads Badger on a fast chase. Badger thinks it's for honey; but Honeyguide has a surprise waiting for her greedy friend.

As they swim across a pond, push through a thicket of reeds, leap over a huge anthill, a menagerie of exotic animals passes the news along in a kind of animal Bush Telegraph. Finally Badger faces a lift-the-flap page, revealing the twist that teaches Badger a lesson. Can you guess who's under that flap?

Honey . . . Honey . . . Lion! will surely become a family favorite for readers of all ages.


Honey... Honey... Lion! Reviews


  • Calista

    This is another book Jan set in Africa. I assume she took a big trip there and set several stories in Africa after that. I thought this was a great story, of course, it’s Jan Brett.

    On the African plane with all the other Safari animals there is a pair that work together, the Honey badger and the honeyguide - a bird. They work together to find honey. The honeyguide follows the bees to the nest and then shows the honey badger where it’s at and the badger will claw open the bark to get the honey for both.

    This story, one day the badger decides not to share the honey and the honeyguide is understandably upset. Well, the next day, it leads the badger into unsafe territory. There is a lift-the-flap to hide the terror, I’m sure you can guess. After that day, they decide to work together again.

    The artwork is amazing as you expect and each panel shows animals we will meet. The giraffe is not directly in the story, but we see the pretty beast. It should have a speaking role. I am crazy for them. Her artwork is amazing.

    The nephew did enjoy this book. He loves seeing the animals and he laughed and laughed at lifting the flap and the chase was on. He thought that was a nice twist. He gave this story 4 stars as well. We had fun reading it together.

  • Cheryl

    I've never read this relatively new Brett before so I had hopes for it... and it exceeded them! I love the African setting, so un-cliched and educational (and gorgeous). I love the vocabulary for the sounds. I love the structure, the one in the plot and the parallel one in the pictures. I love the primary theme of cooperation.

    I'm not so fond of the secondary theme of revenge, but that can be disregarded since no harm was actually done.

    My favorite book like this, though, is still
    We're Going on a Bear Hunt.

  • Loraine

    Filled with amazing, realistic animal illustrations from the country of Botswana, this delightful story will catch children's attention as they follow the honeyguide and the honey badger. A honeyguide is a bird that finds honey and will lead other animals to it, and they share. But when honeyguide leads the honey badger to the find this time, honey badger does not share. So honeyguide decides to play a trick on honey badger, and teach him a lesson.

    Humorous way to teach children about what can happen when they don't share.

  • Emma

    The honey guide kindly shows the honey badger to the honey, but the badger isn't very appreciative so the honey guide takes revenge by trying to get the badger murderer by a lion.

    This is a children's book?! WTF JAN BRETT. I love Jan Brett but this is just too weird for me. I don't expect every children's book to have a moral or hidden lesson. It's okay if it doesn't. I would rather it not have a lesson at all than teach something as odd and twisted as this, though. How bizarre.

  • Shawn Deal

    In this fable from Africa, honeyguide helps a badger finds bees to get honey. The badger eats all the honey for himself. The next time honeyguide leads him it's to a lion. Always share your honey.

  • Bailey Marissa

    A children's book based in Africa that shows what happens when a Honeybadger refuses to share.

  • Drew Graham

    The honey badger and the bee have a mutually beneficial partnership, but if the badger decides to take all the spoils for itself it might have to face some repercussions when it comes to the bee continuing to do its part.

    It slowly dawned on me that this book is by the same author/illustrator of
    The Mitten, and I was glad to take a look at Brett's distinctive storytelling and illustrative style again. This fable is a little more on the message story side, which I liked, but it's a little less on the engaging setting/fantastical premise side, which I didn't like as much. It also doesn't seem quite a big a hit with the little readers in our house (3/1.5), but it's still a great read and has a lot of fun pattern and detail and interest.

  • Amanda

    I love that this book is set in Botswana since I've been enjoying the Ladies #1 Detective Agency series which is also set there.

    The illustrations in this one are very dense and realistic and go through a lot of animals (many specific to the Kalahari, I think). There are sound effects, which my son always likes, so I think this one was a winner. There were a lot of questions during the story (many repeated questions about why badger was led to a lion) so I hope it was educational. This one also might fit in that group of picture books that could be considered non-fiction also.

    Ended up being requested many times, with him wanting to do the sound effects each time.

  • Cam

    Cute book about sharing. I learned something new with this book. I don’t know that honey badgers use birds known as “honeyguides” to find honey. The birds follow bees back the hives and alerts the badgers to go in and grab it and they are able to eat also. Cool little book! This honey badger was so hunger he forgot to share and the honey guide gave him a lesson in sharing.

  • Brian

    Nice pics, but I thought the story was kind of weak. It had nice development, but then it fell kind of flat. Oh well, I enjoyed the illustrations.

  • Tara Schloetter

    Jan Brett’s illustrations themselves are incredible and filled with detail, so this factor alone will completely engage a child. I was looking at even just the end cover with all the animals on it for a couple minutes!! One thing that is cool about Jan Brett’s illustrations are that she includes little frames on the sides of each page that give hints as to what the next page will be about, which can be a fun activity to use with students so that they can predict the following events. This book follows the relationship between a honeyguide and a honey badger. When the honeyguide leads the honey badger to honey, yet is not rewarded with its own honey, the honeyguide gets angry and tricks the honey badger into almost diving right into a lion’s jaws. This book uses metaphors to enhance the text, for example, “The next morning Badger woke up hungry, his tummy flat as a pancake.” Sequencing is something that can be taught by using this book because it describes all the animals and plants that the honey badger goes through to get to the honey, and then these events are repeated in backwards order when the honey badger is running away from the lion. This is a great children’s picture book and would also be a fun book to use as a read aloud.

  • Becky B

    Honeyguide kindly shows honey badger where to find his favorite sweet, but the greedy honey badger doesn't share any with the friendly bird. So the honeyguide decides it is time to teach the honey badger a lesson. The little bird leads him on quite the trek to get some honey, only to lead him straight to a lion and a scare. The other animals all observe that if you want honeguide's help you better share.

    While it is important to share, some parents may not like the somewhat vindictive way honeyguide teaches honey badger this lesson. That aside, the illustrations are typical Brett, beautifully detailed and colorful. This book could be used when teaching about onomatopoeia as on honey badger's wild goose chase, there is a new sound for each action, like "clickety-click" for going through the papyrus and "splish splash" through the water hole. Also a nice book to use for beginning readers and for working on memory/predicting as the path the honeyguide takes the honey badger on is retraced backwards when honey badger is running from the lion. (In that aspect, this book does read somewhat like an African animal version of going on a bear hunt.)

  • Rachel

    Honey Badger and Honeyguide worked as a team. Honeyguide would lead badger to the honey, and then badger would open up the hive and they would share. One day badger decided to eat all the honey by himself. The little bird did not care for her partner not sharing, so she chose to teach the badger a lesson...

    Jan Brett has done a wonderful job with another picture book! Her illustrations are illuminating and the side borders give sneak previews to what will happen next. The relationship with the badger and little bird shows collaboration between them. How working together is the best bet!

    A connection I made with this text is the story about the gingerbread man. He is running away and running out of time. He outruns many of the animals... except the clever/sneaky fox. This reminds me of "Honey...Honey..Lion!" because the badger is chasing after the little bird for honey but is surprised to find a fierce animal behind the bush!

    "If Honeyguide leads you to a beehive, be sure and reward her, or next time, she will lead you to a lion."

    This quote wraps up the picture book nicely. How team work is essential and we should never underestimate others.

  • Lagobond

    Honey badger has decided he no longer wants to give honeyguide his fair share for leading him to the honey. But honeyguide is no dummy, and we all know this can't end well for honeybadger! Kids will gleefully follow along with this well-paced and just-predictable-enough story, as honey badger is taught a lesson and order is restored.

    Author Jan Brett heard this engaging story on a trip to Botswana, and I think she did a fine job passing it on to us. Her retelling very much still feels like a traditional folk tale (or fable). There's lots to see in Brett's rich illustrations; and the language flows well, with just the right dose of onomatopoeia and repetition -- all of which are a plus in any read-out-loud book.

    If your kiddos enjoy this type of there-and-back-again story, check out also:
    We're Going on a Bear Hunt

  • Amy Lafleur Meyers

    Honey Badger and Honeyguide (bird) typically get along well. The honey guide shows the badger where the honey is, and in turn the badger shares the honey with the bird. One day Badger keeps the honey to himself, angering the honey guide. The next day Honeyguide takes the badger to... a surprise. Jan Brett's tale with a lesson is an enjoyable read. I also love Brett's illustrations. There's so much to look at in the pictures. Her animals and settings, and the attention to detail really give the reader a feel for the setting - in this case the Okavango Delta in Botswana as mentioned on the inner flap.

  • Sarah

    Jan Brett's illustrations are as gorgeous as ever, this time showing the landscape of Botswana. She retells a folk tale about the honey badger and the bird who guides him to the honeycomb, the honeyguide. One day, honey badger decides not to share the sweet feast they've found with his helper. As punishment, she leads him to an unhappy surprise. Along the way we hear the sounds (similar to "going on a bear hunt") and when he turns tail for home at the end, the sounds lead us back in reverse order.

  • Meg McGregor

    The African plains provide a stunning environment for Jan Brett's latest animal adventure. For as long as anyone can remember, the honeyguide bird and the African honey badger have been partners when it comes to honey:Honeyguide finds the honeycomb, Badger breaks it open, and they share the sweetness inside.

    But this day, Badger keeps all the honey for himself. Foolish Badger!

    In no time, Honeyguide leads Badger on a fast chase. Badger thinks it's for honey; but Honeyguide has a surprise waiting for her greedy friend.

    A book that shows the value of friendship and sharing!

  • N

    So this is another example of Brett telling a folk story from another culture. It's a good story and a good lesson. But I can't help thinking that I'd rather it had been told by someone from the culture that this story originates. #ownvoices

    Brett, of course, does add her wonderful illustrating style where the sidebar illustrations help advance the storytelling so that the pictures are just as important as the words.

  • Stacy

    Jan Brett is one of my favorite children’s authors! This book is a real treasure! It’s a clever story about sharing ... cute and funny! I read this to my 8 year old son who still loves picture books and he loved it! I also read it to my 4 year old who enjoyed it but may not have understood the whole concept yet. So I will be re- reading this to him in the future!

  • Anthony

    When honey badger doesn't share the honey with the honey guide, the guide takes him on a chase for more honey combs. But the Honey Guide leads Honey Badger right into a lion, who chases him. After being chased and lives to tell about it, Honey Badger never forgets to share the honey with the Honey Guide ever again.

  • Rachel

    Another beautifully written and drawn story that follows a Honeybadger and the bird that helps him find the honey! Adorable, fun art in the side pictures of all the African animals gossiping about what is occurring as the story goes on. Also, fun and interesting facts as to where the author got the idea to write and draw this story at the back flap of the book.

  • Peggy

    The illustrations were at times better than the story itself, as Jan Brett is overall an amazing artist. It is a story about wildlife animals in the African natural environment, safari life. A great book for teaching school kids about different animals in that environment, and what they need to do to survive.

  • Mary

    Read-Aloud Revival Recommendation for August Picture Books.

    Great morality tale based on an African fable. Some of Jan Brett's works are a bit over my preschoolers' heads, but this story really stuck with them and came alive. One of the first books they narrated to me later.

  • emyrose8

    Neat! A tale from Africa (Botswana). It’s so fun to identify the different kinds of animals in the pictures (and plants too). As always, Jan’s illustrations are superb, full of detail, and hinting at things to come.

  • Kaethe

    Brett's art is interesting and rewarding to examine, but the story is a little too moral-heavy for my taste.

  • Jennifer

    A fun book that teaches an important lesson about sharing. Beautifully illustrated as are all Jan Brett's books are.

  • Teri

    Jan Brett is a favorite author, and this was a delightful story with a great moral! We loved it.

  • Summer

    Beautifully illustrated. A clever African story about sharing.

  • Hillary

    This isn’t my favorite Jan Brett book, but I did enjoy seeing her art depicting Africa. This story is based on a Botswanan legend and is a fun read.

  • Suzie Davis

    I love Jan Brett! Her illustrations and retelling of this African story are divine! Wonderful message about sharing!