"You don't have to shoot me, " says the young lion. "I will be your rug and I will lie in front of your fireplace and I won't move a muscle and you can sit on me and toast all the marshmallows you want. I love marshmallows."
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First Sentence
Once there was a young lion and his name was-well, I don't really know what his name was because he lived in the jungle with a lot of other lions and if he did have a name it certainly wasn't a name like Joe or Ernie or anything like that. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Once there was a young lion and his name was-well, I don't really know what his name was because he lived in the jungle with a lot of other lions and if he did have a name it certainly wasn't a name like Joe or Ernie or anything like that. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
My first grade teacher would read this story to our class every once in a while; later, when I was in high school, she gave it to me as a present when she learned how much of an impact it had had on my life. Lafcadio talks about so many things -- change, alienation, fame... and the tough decisions that we all have to make. This book has brought up issues in my life -- like loving nature, and technology -- which make me wish I could just walk away, like Lafcadio does. But hey, there's always marshmallows!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I grew up thinking this was Silverstein's best book and was shocked to eventually discover that it was almost completely unknown. Subtler than The Giving Tree, Lafcadio illustrates a crucial message in delicately simple line drawings and horrible puns. While Lafcadio is superficially about "success," it delves into our self-definitions and the contradictions forced upon individuals by society. Despite its light, witty tone, it addresses stereotypes and rebellion in easily accessible terms. Every time I reread this book -- and I have cried over it many, many times -- I found a new level on which it related to my own life.
When Lafcadio is ultimately forced to choose between mutually exclusive groups with mutually exclusive destinies, he realizes that he wants neither of those implicit destinies for himself. He can be neither a lion nor a hunter. Unable to decide, he walks away from both. Although it almost glosses over violence in the opening scenes, this only serves to heighten the horror of Lafcadio's final quandary. Here the simplicity of the illustrations only reinforces the universality of Silverstein's message.
With its disquieting ending, Lafcadio forms an apt parable for the dilemmas faced by adults, but especially by children in our society. It applies subtly to both classroom cliques and the former Yugoslavia, both contemporary violence and peer pressure, both finding one's path and watching helplessly as others find theirs. As such, Lafcadio provides both cameraderie and empathy, on a level that readers of all ages can understand.
By Kendra
Format:Hardcover
I hadn't heard of this book until a few years ago, when I came upon it and read a few pages in the bookstore. WOW!!! Although I appreciate Shel Silverstein's other stories and poems, nothing at all is like this one. And, that's a disappointment, because after reading this one to my children, we wanted MORE.
In my kids' schools, the Giving Tree was always considered such a classic, and praised as such. Lafcadio? Never mentioned! How disappointing, and oh, what those students are missing. Lafcadio isn't even in the school's library catalogue!
Lafcadio tells the story of a lion who comes to the city and becomes a gentleman--losing his lionly ways. But, Shel Silverstein tells this story so hilariously, I can barely read it aloud without laughing hysterically. I used to read this to my son, and literally could not get the words out without laughing uncontrollably. This, of course, caused my son to laugh as heartily without even knowing why. . . begging me to stop laughing and to tell him what was so funny. Lafcadio is an experience, that's for sure!
That said, this isn't a completely gentle book. It's probably the only book I've read to the kids that talked about eating people--and, made eating people funny. However, the unexpected quirkiness of the story is also what made it so hilarious. This is really a classic. Your kids will love it and you will love it.
In my kids' schools, the Giving Tree was always considered such a classic, and praised as such. Lafcadio? Never mentioned! How disappointing, and oh, what those students are missing. Lafcadio isn't even in the school's library catalogue!
Lafcadio tells the story of a lion who comes to the city and becomes a gentleman--losing his lionly ways. But, Shel Silverstein tells this story so hilariously, I can barely read it aloud without laughing hysterically. I used to read this to my son, and literally could not get the words out without laughing uncontrollably. This, of course, caused my son to laugh as heartily without even knowing why. . . begging me to stop laughing and to tell him what was so funny. Lafcadio is an experience, that's for sure!
That said, this isn't a completely gentle book. It's probably the only book I've read to the kids that talked about eating people--and, made eating people funny. However, the unexpected quirkiness of the story is also what made it so hilarious. This is really a classic. Your kids will love it and you will love it.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet!
Our teacher read Lafcadio to us and we loved the story (and Lafcadio). We liked all the marshmallow parts--especially the marshmallow suit part. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely Clever! Teaches values at same time.
It is a great book to read with a child between the ages of 7-10. The story has great messages for the reader going on in the background of the story (eg. Read more
Published on 8 July 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is a very neat book. I Like it!
You should read this book because it is a very neat book about a lion that shoots really well. He eats hunters and takes their bullets(in other words, ammunition). Read more
Published on 13 May 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lafcado is a cute lion.
Lafcado is a book tha teaches smaller kids that are just learning how to read that trying to be some one your not is not a smart thing to do. Read more
Published on 12 May 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWSOME!
this was the coolest book!
Published on 4 May 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
I thought this book was great!!!!!!!!!!!
This was the best book I ever read. I think everybody should read this book.I thought it should earn 5 stars because the marshmallow part was very funny. Read more
Published on 28 April 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first and the best
OK, the title is a slight misnomer. I don't know if Lafcadio was the first of his children's books to be written (probably not) but it was the first to get published, and IMO, it... Read more
Published on 26 April 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am a fourth grader and I really liked this book alot.
This is an excellent book with lots of details. Although I don't like reading this book is an exception. I loved it. I liked it so much I'm going to do a book report on it.
Published on 3 Sep 1998
5.0 out of 5 stars
A simple book, with a great Message for all Readers
I am a sophmore and recently in our speech class we were asked to do an interpretive speech on a poem,short story or piece of lit. I immedialty chose Lafcadio, by Shel Silverstein. Read more
Published on 6 May 1998
5.0 out of 5 stars
great early chapter book for young readers
My son, who's in third grade but is not a strong reader, just completed his first book report using this book. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 1998
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