Ciara L. Hill





Shiloh and Dande the Lion book cover

Shiloh and Dande the Lion


Embrace diversity, accept others, and courageously be yourself!

Shiloh and Dande the Lion is an imaginative story that explores diversity, tolerance, and empowerment through the fantastic dream of a young boy. Shiloh, whose name means peace, is bullied at a new school for the color of his skin. After talking to his mom about it, Shiloh discovers a dandelion in his backyard. He makes a wish, goes to sleep, and Dande the Lion comes to life! Unexpected adventures await Shiloh, as he meets unlikely creatures that share their magical experiences, to help him gain courage, confidence and overcome adversity.

  • Winner of The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2020
  • Named "2020 Best of the Best" by the Black Caucus American Library Association
  • Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Award
  • Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review

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Amazon

"...a wonderful journey from cover to cover, filled with positive messages and enlightening ideas that will help the target audience to really understand some of the big issues about diversity from an early age, and in simple terms. The different creatures, bold use of color, and chunky art style work really well to give strong visual engagement for readers, and Hill's storyline keeps us following a magical fantasy story, weaving its subtle lessons in along the way."
— K.C. Dunn, Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review

"...an enthralling fantasy about a boy and his pet lion and their adventures."
— Jack Magnus

"...Ciara L. Hill does a wonderful job of capturing the fearful emotions a child might experience when starting at a new school, as well as tackling sensitive issues like race. As a mother of a mixed-race child, this really hit home for me. I appreciated that this was a book I could use as a tool for my son in the future to help him understand how his skin color might be perceived in a school that is predominantly white and how to handle that if bullying occurs. Heady stuff for the children's section but oh so worth it!"
— Katelyn Hensel