Akimbo and the Elephants (Paperback)

by Alexander McCall Smith (Author), LeUyen Pham (Illustrator) "Imagine living in the heart of Africa..." (more)
Key Phrases: head ranger, ranger camp

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 sacrifice 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 School Library Journal
Grade 2-3–The author of the adult The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mystery series originally published these delightful children's stories in Great Britain in the early 1990s. His short, illustrated chapter-book adventures will transport American readers to the plains of Africa where Akimbo lives with his parents on a Kenyan game reserve. His father works as a park ranger, and, on occasion, Akimbo is allowed to accompany him while he works. In Elephants, the two encounter a dead elephant, killed for its tusks. When the poachers aren't found immediately, Akimbo devises a plan to catch them in the act. After several suspenseful moments, the boy's simple, yet innocent plan works. In Lions, the child accompanies his father and other rangers as they investigate news of lion attacks. The plan is to trap the marauding animal and take it to another area, but by accident, they capture its cub. The African setting, dramatic full-page pencil illustrations, and the animal facts woven into the stories are sure to capture young readers.–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (January 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599900319
• ISBN-13: 978-1599900315
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,548 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #12 in	Books > Children's Books > Educational > Explore the World > Fiction > Africa
  #12 in	Books > Children's Books > Animals > Elephants > Fiction

• This is item 1 in The Akimbo Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ethics and Morality of Ivory Poaching, October 20, 2005

By	Jon Linden (Warren, N.J. United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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

In this short children's book, McCall Smith is as usual interested in ethics and morality. The book centers on Akimbo, a child of about 7 or 8 years of age. Akimbo becomes aware that there are people that poach Ivory, by killing elephants illegally and taking the tusks. Akimbo learns this when he and his father, a park ranger come upon a dead elephant and a live calf. Akimbo is bothered greatly by this situation. Not only is he bothered by the dead mother, but also by the calf left behind.

In discussing this with his father, Akimbo discovers that it is very, very difficult for poachers to be caught and brought to justice. He hatches a plan to do just that. His plan is to find out who the poachers are, and get proof of their illegal activity. Then to turn this information over to his father so the poachers can be brought to justice.

In effectuating his plan, Akimbo is exposed to considerable personal danger. Nonetheless, he decides that the unethical behavior of the poachers is worth the risk to his person. The story tells how Akimbo achieves this objective. The book is an excellent story for children and teaches not only ethics and morality, but also something about Africa and elephants and Ivory. It should be considered by all parents trying to show examples of ethical and unethical behavior to their young children. In addition, it shows the concept that one has the choice to act ethically, or to just sit it out and watch. Akimbo chooses the former rather than the later.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Akimbo Versus the Ivory Poachers, May 27, 2008

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

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

Although this book is described as being for the 4-8 year-old group, it seemed to me more like a 7-9 year-old book that might well appeal more to boys than to girls (based on having had two of each in our family).

I was attracted to the book by realizing that the various animal-related stories that Alexander McCall Smith includes in his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books were among my favorite parts of those books. It occurred to me that the Akimbo books might have such stories in them.

Well, not quite . . . but the series is full of Akimbo learning about wild animals, the threats to animals from people, and deals with the problems through Akimbo's brave deeds. Children like to see themselves playing important roles in the world, and Akimbo and the Elephants is very good for appealing to that desire.

Akimbo's father works as a ranger at a game preserve in Africa where some near-by villagers have been killing elephants to take the tusks to sell to ivory carvers. Akimbo decides that he will put a stop to this practice, and his adventures provide for a good story that will keep your attention . . . even if you are well over the age of 9.

The book is nicely illustrated which adds to the realism of the story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars akimbo and the elephants, May 6, 2007

By	Robert Hauben (long island,ny) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

delightful; one problem: i didnt realize it was for children but nontheless i enjoyed it and would recommend it for children of all ages.