This young reader’s adaptation of Bourke and Rendall’s A Lion Called Christian
(Doubleday, 1971) concisely relays the story of an unorthodox pet: a lion cub the authors find in a cramped cage in a London store. As the friendly lion grows, his owners reluctantly acknowledge that Christian belongs in his natural habitat, and they arrange to have him released into the Kenya wilderness, thanks to several remarkable coincidences. Some readers will be familiar with the story’s affecting conclusion—Christian joyfully greets his former owners when they visit Kenya a year after his release—since it is depicted in a popular YouTube video. Ably and excitedly streamlined for the audience (“Christian pulled on his lead like an excited puppy.... he wanted to get outside!”), the narrative includes numerous light, endearing anecdotes about Christian’s accomplishments and missteps, both as a pet and while adapting to his new life in Africa. Enhancing the volume’s kid appeal are a 16-page color photo insert of the lion and the authors, plus facts about African lions and other species. Ages 8–10. (Mar.)
