Christian the Lion

Bourke, A. & Rendall, J. (2009). Christian the lion. New York: Henry Holt & Company, LLC.

Genre: Biography/Informational
Format: Picture Story Book
Recommended Age: 8 & Up

Christian the Lion tells the inspiring story of a young lion cub as he grows up in London and follows him until his eventual release into the wild. Composed in a scrapbook format, children will see pictures taken of Christian taken by his owners, John and Anthony, as he grows up in their flat. John and Anthony first saw Christian in a cage in a department store in London. Sad to see him in such a place, the two bough him and took him home to live with them in the apartment above a store. Eventually, Christian got too big to live in the apartment and he was taken to live in the country just outside of London. He eventually moved to Kenya, where he was introduced to other lions and slowly incorporated into the wild. As children read, they'll not only learn about Christian, but they'll learn loads of fun facts about lions, and they'll love all of the silly pictures of Christian as he grows up. Pictures of Christian watching TV, getting into the sock drawer, sitting on the couch, and hugging his owner are sure to warm the hearts of children.

I would recommend this book to children eight years old and up. Children this age are just beginning to find interest in biographies an informational books, and this book is a perfect introduction to the genre. Since it's in a scrapbook format and therefore not quite structured for story time, it's the perfect way to get children to read independently as well. Yes, it's true. Like every other book I've read, Christian the Lion, too, has the Tiffany stamp of approval. Librarians, teachers, and parents...consider this one recommended.