The Mean Old Mean Hyena

By Jack Prelutsky

A zebra, ostrich, elephant, and lion become the hapless victims of an incorrigible hyena's mean tricks. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688801633
• ISBN13: 9780688801632
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Naughty and Not Nice, but Fun

He's a mean, lowdown, so-and-so hyena and he's proud of it. In this story poem he tells us about how he plays terrible tricks on other animals; then laughs AT them--and gets away with it all! A naughty, but likeable, beast! (Please, though, don't act like him because YOU won't get away with it.) [Picture Book: Poetry (grades k-3+); a great read-aloud, too!] A Non-Workbook, Non-Textbook Approach to Teaching Language Arts: Grades 4 Through 8 and Up

mean old mean hyena is not for everyone

This is a great children's book written from a quirky standpoint that is not for everyone. The hyena commits dirty tricks on the other forest animals, but is eventually brought to justice. When he IS brought to justice, the kindly animals grant him mercy. But then, when freed, he mocks them as fools for believing him when he said he was sorry!Ironic in tone, this book reminds me of a Roald Dahl story--that is, hip and possibly truer to the world than we might want our children to know. But, teenagers and wiseguy adults love the book.