The Lion Inside Activities and Comprehension Questions

Do your students struggle with their self-confidence? Read on to find The Lion Inside activities and comprehension questions to promote overcoming fears with resilience and determination.

In The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright, a mouse and a lion learn everyone has a mouse and a lion inside, no matter what their size.

We all have the right to have our voice heard.
We all have a mouse AND a lion inside.
Be true to yourself. Everyone has moments of self-doubt.
Courage and self-confidence
Overcoming fears with resilience and determination

You can also use the book to teach

Sequencing and retelling
Character traits
Problem and Solution
Making connections
Inferring
Theme and Main Idea

The Lion Inside Summary

The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright takes place in the jungle on an enormous pile of rocks. Mouse is little and meek and lives in a tiny house at the bottom of the rocks. The other animals barely notice the mouse and he feels lonely. Lion lives at the top of the rock. He is very loud and makes sure everyone knows how important he is.

Mouse is tired of being ignored. He decides he needs to roar like the lion, so the other animals notice him. The Lion is the only one that can teach him how to roar, making him very nervous. He gathers his courage to climb the pile of rocks towards the lion.

When the mouse reaches the top, he comes face to face with the lion. Terrified, the lion shrieks at the sight of the mouse. Mouse reassures the lion he is there as a friend and they learn everyone has a little bit of a lion and a mouse inside of them.

The Lion Inside
Author: Rachel Bright
Illustrator: Jim Field
Publisher: Orchard Books
ISBN: 978-1408331590

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The Lion Inside Activities & Resources

I have created literacy graphic organizers for The Lion Inside. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:

Author’s Purpose
Cause & Effect
Character Traits and Analysis
Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
Inferring and Predicting
Main Idea and Theme
Making Connections
Point of View
Problem and Solution
Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing

*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.

External The Lion Inside Activities & Links

Barnardos: Suggested activities based on The Lion Inside
Hachette: KS1 Resource Pack
Hachette: Reception Resource Pack
Scottish Book Trust: The Lion Inside activities
Seven Stories: The Lion Inside activities and songs
Teaching Ideas: The Lion Inside Teaching Ideas and Resources

The Lion Inside Activity Graphic Organisers

Would you like free graphic organisers for The Lion Inside?

I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!

Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.

The Lion Inside Read-Aloud Questions

Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.

What do you think Rachel Bright wants us to learn from reading The Lion Inside? What did you learn from reading The Lion Inside?
What does Rachel Bright mean by “We all have a mouse AND a lion inside”?
Describe the problem faced by the mouse and how he solved it.
How did the illustrations help you understand The Lion Inside?
How would you describe the mouse and the lion? What are their character traits?
Why do you think the lion reacted in fear when it saw the mouse?
How can you find the lion inside you? What changes would you make to yourself or the community?
Describe a time you were brave. What did you learn from the experience?
Can you think of any other books that have unlikely animal friendships?
Predict what you think the lion and the mouse will do next.

You can find a full set of discussion cards in The Lion Inside Literacy Bundle or as a separate pack.

The Lion Inside Book Videos

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