The Biggest Mistake
By Camilla Pintonato
An uproarious retelling of the lion and gazelle proverb with a playful and unexpected twist.
Caution: it doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, sooner or later you will make a mistake.
One morning in the savanna papa lion told his cub that it was time for him to catch a gazelle on his own. “Easy,” thought the little lion, “just watch me!” But that was his first in a series of mistakes. No matter how hard the little lion tried, the gazelle outsmarted or outran him. Humiliated, the little lion retreated and disappeared. Without her rival the gazelle was bored, so she went to look for him. What happened next was undoubtedly the biggest mistake of all!
“Warm, simplified pictures of the lion and gazelle are full of action and gentle humor, while clear, minimal text describes the action. […] This cheeky Italian import effectively explores themes such as recovering from a mistake, resilience, motivation, and strategizing, and youngsters will appreciate the fun of the chase, the joy of solving a puzzle, and the satisfaction of finding a playmate. A fast-paced savanna adventure embedded with solid social-emotional messaging.”
Kirkus reviews
"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 reveals one more trick, silly and reassuring, up her narrative sleeve."
Publishers Weekly
“I think she nails that ending. It’s silly and it works. A title that eschews giving kids some moral lesson in favor of guffaws.”
School Library Journal
A tongue-in-cheek tale with a fun final twist […]. With a focus on the animals’ movements, Camilla Pintonato’s bold, dramatic illustrations use the creatures’ eyes to great effect, ensuring that young humans stay engaged and amused throughout.”
Red Reading Hub
Awards:
★ Amazon Editors’ pick for best books of August 2023 ages 3-5
★ Selected among the Bank Street's Best Children's Books of the Year 2023
Rights sold:
World English, Korea, China, France, Italy, Israel
For foreign rights inquiries, please contact us.
All books by Camilla Pintonato:
