HOW NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK GUION THE LION INSPIRES TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCES IN ALL OF US.
By: Rebecca Wilson Macsovits
As the mother of a child with Down Syndrome, I know first- hand the judgement that comes with someone who is seemingly different than the rest of us and the damage placing a label on someone can have. As an entrepreneur and author, I wanted to find a way to use this insight to create a means by which I can effectively put forth a message that differences are to be celebrated and embraced not shunned as is often the case. For me, it is a personal mission to find a way to communicate the importance of understanding and accepting these differences, while also reinforcing the beauty found in all of 
us as individuals. In today’s increasingly divisive times, it is more important than ever that we share and spread this message and for me, it was telling this story through a loveable and engaging lion, appropriately named Guion.
Through Guion The Lion, we have a fun and compelling way to celebrate the differences in all children. This will allow for a greater level of appreciation and encourage acceptance. With open minds, anything and everything is possible, and I am hopeful this message will resonate loudly with parents, grandparents, and kids.
The beautifully illustrated Guion The Lion book follows the adventures of an imaginative little lion who sees things a little differently from his friends. Guion has a fantastical interpretation of the world and he shares his view with his best friend, Rae. When Rae does not see things from his perspective, Guion tries again and again, but to no avail. Then finally, after one more try, Rae sees the world from Guion’s perspective. That is when the real magic happens.
While Guion, my oldest child, was the initial inspiration, my other two children, Hoke and Rae greatly influenced the story and message. All three are wonderfully different from each other – they have skills and interests unique to them – and we love watching and learning from them. At the same time, there are so many similarities between all three of them and I thought it was important to showcase this as well as the differences through the book.
Guion has taught us so much more about love, acceptance, kindness and has resulted in me, our entire family and friends appreciating the differences in all of us – more than we could ever have imagined. Our biggest learning is that we are more the same than we are different, but those differences are so special – they are the bright spots where the magic happens. Most importantly, seeing the world through my three children has served to enrich mine.
Having a child with special needs opened my mind to acceptance and understanding, but we all know or have met people we view as “different” and we judge –it is part of being human. All I ask is that we take a moment to consider the beauty in the differences in all of us and embrace them.
To help spread this important message in an even more meaningful way, we also just released a fun, new song and lyric video titled Guion The Lion, available on YouTube as well as Amazon Music and iTunes and more than 600 streaming platforms. Children and parents have a love of music and this song nicely compliments the message conveyed in Guion The Lion book.
I end the book with a famous quote from Dr. Wayne Dyer. “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.”
Guion The Lion Book is available for purchase at www.guionthelion.com as well as on Amazon. To learn more about our story, visit and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
About the Author
An accomplished business leader and creative professional, Rebecca Wilson Macsovits, is the author of “Guion The Lion”, a children’s book that celebrates differences and encourages empathy. Throughout her career, Rebecca has led initiatives to help companies engage with clients in rewarding and productive ways, and her creative spirit has led her to extend her talents to the children’s literature space. Rebecca is a Colorado mother of three, including her oldest son, Guion, who has Down syndrome. He inspired her to create the world of “Guion The Lion”, which shows children and adults, too, how being curious about others and opening up their minds to different perspectives can lead to new adventures and fun! When Rebecca isn’t busy dreaming up new adventures for Guion The Lion, she’s a Chief Brand Officer where she supports corporate and portfolio companies in their efforts to refine their brands, build awareness, grow sales, and strengthen their employee engagement programs. She also sits on the Board of Advisors of a private Insurance Group. Rebecca earned an MBA in Finance and Operations from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Wake Forest University. Committed to improving her community, Rebecca is Secretary of the Board for the Denver Zoo, Finance Chair for the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, a member of Constellation a philanthropic group focused on early childhood education in Colorado and organizes a team for the Step Up Walk for Down Syndrome.
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Tania Williams
Sweet anecdote about creative mind. The book is a strong 9 x 11 with decent, thick pages. The content is huge and effectively lucid. The outlines are great. Delicate, warm and brimming with heart. I love the additional detail of the shaded impressions. Children will effectively plunge into this. It’s the ideal length for a sleep time story. There are additionally Question and Activity pages toward the end, so the book can likewise be utilized in an instructive setting. Additionally, is by all accounts somewhat of a cliffhanger toward the end? So perhaps a spin-off is coming. Sweet book with a solid message.