“Don’t Feed the Lion,” the upcoming middle grade novel co-written by CNN’s Bianna Golodryga and Israeli primetime news anchor Yonit Levi, may not hit shelves until November 11, but it may already have one fan speaking in its praise: Sacha Baron Cohen.
In an exclusive statement to TheWrap, the Oscar-nominated entertainer and activist shared that the book—intended for readers ages 8 to 12 and exploring themes of identity, community, and courage in the face of anti-Semitism—praised the project as “furious and necessary.”
“When hate is dressed up as opinion, we need stories that teach children the difference,” Cohen said. “‘Don’t Feed the Lion’ is a fierce and necessary reminder that silence is never the answer.”
The book follows three schoolmates in Chicago who face bullying and taunting after a swastika appears on their school locker and a football star makes an anti-Semitic remark. Arcadia Children’s Books announced the upcoming release Tuesday, framing it as an effort to combat anti-Semitism and hate through the eyes of middle school teachers.
“While visiting libraries and bookstores looking for books on anti-Semitism that speak directly to young readers, we were surprised to find very few options available,” Golodryga and Levi said in a joint statement. “With the rapid rise of explicit anti-Semitism and hatred around the world, our goal was to write a book for all readers who want to feel less alone in their identity, and for those who want to confront prejudice and discrimination with empathy and understanding.”
Golodryga is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and CNN’s senior global affairs analyst. She anchors “One World with Zain Asher and Bianna Golodryga” on CNN International and CNN Max. Meanwhile, Levi has anchored Israel’s Primetime News program on Channel 12 for more than 20 years and hosts the podcast “Unholy: Two Jews in the News.”
“Don’t Feed the Lion” is available for pre-order ahead of its nationwide release on November 11th.
