Who Leads the Pride: Fostering Student Leadership with Don't Feed the Lion

Introduction

Don’t Feed the Lion: Introduction

Don’t Feed the Lion by Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi explores the story of antisemitism growing at Oakdale Middle School. The story begins with Theo Kaplan, a 13-year-old Chicago middle schooler and soccer captain. Theo’s world is turned upside down when his professional soccer idol, Wes Mitchell, makes an antisemitic comment that goes viral. The situation escalates when Theo discovers a swastika drawn on his gym locker. Theo is left to grapple with his own reaction to the graffiti, along with the prejudice and apathy from his teammates and administration and the reactions from his family members. Joined by a new friend, Gabe; his co-captain and best friend, Connor; his younger sister, Annie, and his parents and grandparents, Theo struggles through his initial desire to ignore the hate and focus on soccer and ultimately learns about the impact of bigotry on himself and his community. The middle grades novel Don’t Feed the Lion asks readers to consider: when confronted with antisemitism, what do you do?