Akimbo And The Lions (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) [Library Binding]

Alexander M. Smith (Author), Leuyen Pham (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Akimbo

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. When Akimbo and his park ranger father unintentionally capture a lion cub near an African game park, Akimbo wants to keep the cub.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Alexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of the celebrated No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, connects with an entirely new audience with his beginning chapter book series featuring a young African boy fiercely devoted to the conservation of his animal friends. Akimbo lives on the large African game reserve where his father works, and is constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to see or learn something new. In Akimbo and the Elephants, the resourceful Akimbo helps foil an elephant poaching ring by secretly taking ivory seized by the park wardens and offering it to known poachers. When the poachers take the bait and invite Akimbo along on their illegal hunt, the boy slips away from the men and alerts the authorities. In Akimbo and the Lions, Akimbo helps raise a lion cub that is accidentally caught in a farmer's trap and learns the true meaning of s! acrifice when he must release his beloved Simba back into the wild. While Akimbo occasionally comes close to real danger, (an angry bull elephant charges towards him; a cornered lioness threatens him and his father) Smith always brings his small but determined hero safely out of harm's way, having both learned a valuable lesson and gone on a great adventure. First published in the UK in 1990, resourceful Akimbo is being introduced to an American audience for the first time, and will undoubtedly be warmly welcomed by young fans of Ann Cameron's Julian stories, and Paula Danziger's Amber Brown books. --Jennifer Hubert --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. By a well-known author of adult books, this story featuring a young boy, Akimbo, who lives "in the heart of Africa," conveys appreciation and respect for the African landscape, culture, and people, as well as a sense of the importance of wildlife conservation. Akimbo accompanies his father, a wildlife ranger, on an investigation of lion attacks on an area farm, where Akimbo finds a lion cub. He takes over the cub's care, but when it gets older, the boy knows that he must return his beloved cub to the wild. Akimbo emerges as a brave, caring protagonist who faces dilemmas and danger in the service of the animals and people he loves. The illustrations, which appear to be well-executed, soft-edged, black-and-white pictures, were not available in completed form in this galley. Pair this with Smith's Akimbo and the Elephants. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 68 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1417818026
• ISBN-13: 978-1417818020
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,915,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alexander McCall Smith was born in what is now Zimbabwe and taught law at the University of Botswana. He is now Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He has written more than fifty books, including a number of specialist titles, but is best known for The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, which has achieved bestseller status on four continents. In 2004 he was awarded British Book Awards Author of the Year and Booksellers Association Author of the Year. He lives in Scotland, where in his spare time he is a bassoonist in the RTO (Really Terrible Orchestra).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Akimbo Saves The Day, October 29, 2005

By 

Jon Linden (Warren, N.J. United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Akimbo and the Lions (Hardcover)

This book is McCall Smith's second book in the "Akimbo" series and like virtually all his books, it is masterfully done. In this book, Akimbo goes on a trip with his father, the new Head Gamekeeper of the wildlife preserve. They have gone to check out reports that a lion is eating cattle. The loss of cattle is akin to the loss of pure gold in Akimbo's part of Africa. Thus, such a lion must be handled.

Akimbo begs his father to take him on the trip. With some trepidation, his father agrees. The team of Gamekeepers and Akimbo travel to the farm which has reported the problem. No one actually has seen the lion, but they believe by the sounds and the results that it is surely a lion. The Gamekeepers set a trap, using a goat as bait. The trap is supposed to work by capturing the lion when he goes to get the goat.

The trap is set up, and Akimbo and his father get set to wait out the night and see what happens. As luck would have it, the lion does show up on that night. The trap is sprung, and Akimbo's father goes to check the trap. As soon as his father leaves the hiding place, Akimbo notices, he has forgotten his rifle. His father approaches the trap, and is dismayed to find, the lion is not in the trap. The lion is standing outside the trap, and starts to close in on Akimbo's father.

Akimbo has never shot a rifle before, but he has observed his father use it. He picks up the gun. He aims, and his father tells him, "Shoot into the air." Akimbo does so twice. The lion leaves quickly. Then they go to find out why the trap di not work, and find that it is sprung. Inside is a very small baby lion cub. The rest of the book discusses Akimbo's relationship with the lion cub, and the eventual release of the lion into the wild.

Once again, McCall Smith has created a wonder of a book. It is highly recommended as a children's story. It provides a look at a very different society and world than the American world. In addition, it shows the respect of the people for the animals. All parents with young children should find this book a great addition to their children's reading library.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 6 stars, March 7, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Akimbo and the Lions (Hardcover)

It was one of the most passionate books I ever read. It made me cry. The pictures were wonderful. The book had very good descriptions. People who like animals, stories that take place in Africa, and love will like this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Griffin's Review, August 19, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Akimbo and the Lions (Hardcover)

This book was a fun book to read. I liked it a lot. I think it was my favorite book that I've read so far in my life. I am going to buy my own copy.