Robby the Lion Doesn't Eat Meat was reviewed by Ellyn Wexler October 4, 2006 in The Montgomery County Gazette (Dandy Lions: Kids get the lion's share in new books). Below are the excerpts of the review with regards to Robby the Lion.

"Lions loom large in new books two county authors have written for very young children. D.C.’s Magination Press published ‘‘Lions Aren’t Scared of Shots: A Story for Children About Visiting the Doctor” by pediatrician Howard J. Bennett of Bethesda, and Rockville-bred Carol Bushar wrote, illustrated and self-published ‘‘Robby the Lion Doesn’t Eat Meat.”

Carnivore no more

In ‘‘Robby the Lion,” Carol Bushar seeks to teach young children that being true to yourself may be difficult and frightening – but can result in self-satisfaction as well as approval from others. The lifelong Rockville resident and Rockville High School alumna, who now lives in Chile, says the story comes out of her own experience.

‘‘The story gleans a lot of inspiration from my life, which has generally followed an unconventional path by the standards of my family,” Bushar says. ‘‘I wanted to focus [not only] on the acceptance and love that I have received from my family and friends for my life decisions, but also to acknowledge that those changes were hard for all of us.”

While Robby chose to be a vegetarian amid a committed carnivorous culture, Bushar opted to become a vegetarian, too — and also, nearly two years ago, to move to the southern coast of Chile and pursue her ‘‘childhood dream of writing and illustrating books.” Her Chinese American family encouraged pursuing the arts — in this case, writing and drawing — only as a hobby. She complied by earning a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Maryland, then a dual master’s degree in urban planning and public administration from the University of Washington. But the office setting for her ‘‘promising future” with the federal government failed to ‘‘satisfy my desire to help people and make a difference.” While acknowledging that her ‘‘chances of ‘success’ at writing and publishing my own books are slim,” she says, ‘‘I can’t think of a time in my professional life where I have been happier.” And despite their beliefs and fears, she adds, her family ‘‘were and continue to be very supportive.”

Bushar says she was compelled to write the book: ‘‘The actual story ... just jumped into my head one morning and wouldn’t leave me alone until I had written it down and began sketching out the illustrations.”

Bushar is working on translating ‘‘Robby” into Spanish, which she also expects to publish through the print on demand publisher Lulu, as well as ‘‘a short novel for young readers ... about two ducks and two penguins that go for an adventure in a fishing boat” and ‘‘another picture book, a sequel to ‘Robby the Lion’ that features his little sister Ann.”

Yet another lion book? Young readers who have learned to love the king — or queen — of the beasts will no doubt subscribe to ‘‘the more [lion books], the merrier.”"

Carol is a talented illustrator. Lots of nice touches in this book like the "stack-o-prey" water fountain and the mountain-climbing lion with the braided tail. Lots of charming detail to follow a lovely story line.

Pete Chipman