Set in Ethiopia, this is the story of a little girl, Almaz, adjusting to her new stepmother. Her mother has died, and after a year, her father goes off to find a new wife. Almaz wants to like her new mother, but Kibret is shy and lonely and doesn't respond to Almaz's advances. Almaz goes for advice to her grandfather, who tells her to bring him a hair from a lion's tale before he will tell her what to do. Almaz learns great patience in making friends with the lion in order to fulfill her grandfather's request, but at last she brings him the hair. Meanwhile she is also learning patience with Kibret, and that is the answer to their relationship. A very beautiful picture book in both word and illustration, and we learn a great deal about life in an Ethiopian community.