Heidi Brooks

By: Shel Silverstein

This book holds a deep and special meaning for me. It was given to me as a tribute to my dad, and when I opened it and read the inscription—“Dear Heidi, I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed it when our father read it to me.”—I was overcome with emotion.

I miss my dad so much. Losing both my mom and dad has been one of the greatest heartbreaks of my life. The pain of their absence is something I carry every day.

So many beautiful stories have been shared about my dad as a teacher—his passion, his kindness, his creativity. One of the things I remember most was his incredible reading program. He truly loved to read, and reading aloud was one of the ways he connected with us as children. I can still hear his voice bringing to life stories like The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and all the adventurous, imaginative tales by Roald Dahl—stories filled with brave, clever children who stood strong in the face of adversity.

Lafcadio is one of those unforgettable stories. It’s a clever and charming tale of a lion who tries to reason with a hunter, pleading with him not to shoot. But the hunter refuses to listen. So, the lion does what a lion must—he eats the hunter. Then he picks up the hunter’s gun, determined to learn how to use it. He practices endlessly and becomes the world’s greatest sharpshooter.

As he gains fame and is recruited into a circus, Lafcadio begins to change. He starts to live more like a human than a lion, and eventually he finds himself torn—unsure if he even remembers who he really is. Is he still a lion, or has he become something else entirely?

It’s a whimsical, witty story filled with deeper meaning—about identity, belonging, and the choices that shape who we become. As always, Shel Silverstein crafts a tale that delights both children and adults alike, blending humor with heart.

This story brings back powerful memories of my father—his voice, his laughter, his love for stories, and his love for us. Lafcadio isn’t just a book. It’s a piece of my past, a thread connecting me to the father who helped shape my world through stories.