Akimbo and the Lions

Akimbo #1

by Alexander McCall Smith, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)

Ten-year-old Akimbo lives on a game preserve in Africa. His father is the head ranger, and Akimbo is eager to help him whenever he can―even if it means getting into some pretty dangerous situations. In Akimbo and the Lions , Akimbo helps his father set a trap for a lioness that has been attacking cattle on nearby farms. But when the lion they catch turns out to be a cub, Akimbo must find a way to care for the young lion until it's old enough to be released in the wild.

Genres: Africa, Fiction, Childrens, Animals, Adventure, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit him online at www.alexandermccallsmith.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Reviews

[Orbi Alter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Predivno, toplo i nekako ispravno? <3

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by the author of the The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency , this is a sweet book for children. Akimbo's father is a warden for a game preserve somewhere in Africa (country is never made clear... I guess I imagined Kenya because of their amazing national park system). When a lion begins attacking farms surrounding the preserve, Akimbo and his father go to catch it and end up with a cub instead. Akimbo raises the cub and eventually releases it into the wild. Oscar and I really enjoyed this one!

[Jacoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akimbo and the Lions by Alexander McCall Smith (1992)
Genre: Early chapter book
Format: Book
Plot summary:When Akimbo and his park ranger father unintentionally capture a lion cub near an African game park, Akimbo wants to keep the cub.
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.)No special considerations
Review citation (if available):Kuntz, Patricia S. Multicultural Review , Spring2006, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p97-97, 1p
Section source used to find the material: School library journal
Recommended age: Grades 3-5

[Monica]

This book is an early chapter book that would be an interesting and exciting reading recommendation for both boys and girls. It also has information about animals and animal behavior as well as information about Africa. There are a series of Akimbo books about different animals for students who like this one.
Note: Author is a bestselling author of adult books including the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency mysteries.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um....... I dunno, this book was okay. For an adventure about lions on Africa, I found it a little boring, actually? For me there weren't enough details about the setting and especially the people and culture to make it seem realistic. This is the only one of the Akimbo books I've read and maybe I would like others better.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong visual imagery of life on an African wildlife preserve as young Akimbo helps his park ranger father when word comes that a lion has been preying on cattle on nearby farms.

The plan is to live-trap the lion and relocate the animal, but Akimbo and his dad are in for a surprise when they discover a lion cub left behind in the trap. His mother was frightened away and has left him behind. There is confusion about what to do, until Akimbo steps up and volunteers to raise the cub until the lion is able to look out for himself.

Eventually the day comes when Simba the cub grows into a formidable animal, and whose rough playing with humans is no longer safe or welcome. Akimbo is saddened to face the fact that his friend must return to the wild where he belongs. There's a great line spoken by the father in which he advises Akimbo that a lion will always be a wild animal, and he needs to accept and respect that.

Humane families note: There are several good humane takeaways from this one. The park ranger's first instinct is to attempt to deal with the lion in a non-lethal way. Simba the lion is presented in a cute and sympathetic way, but there is a strong message that wild animals belong in their natural habitats and should not be kept as pets. Akimbo accepts this after observing Simba living as a wild lion. One point of discussion could be the park rangers' use of a live baby goat to lure the lion into the trap. While the goat is physically unharmed, he is terrified, and Akimbo notices this and feels empathetic with the little animal. Could there have been another way to lure the lion? Perhaps a recording of/scent of a goat or other prey animal?

[Loralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that Alexander McCall Smith had written so many childrens books! I got this to read solo with Mason but the older kids loved it so much too.

[Yan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and heartwarming story, just like all the other children's books by this author. Great lessons within. A fun to read, even for adults.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhh. . .Akimbo series is done. In this one he pairs up with a lost lion cub until the cub out grows him and even he realizes naps with the cub is not a good idea. (Again, I worry about the grown-ups who are so accommodating, but then remind myself that these are all fictional people.)

A great way to travel to Africa and talk to the animals. (Might be time for Dr. Doolittle, eh?)

Thank you for the stories, Sir Alexander McCall Smith!

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another African tale from AMS, nicely presented as a short story in seven chapters with a few line-drawing illustrations. One of a series about the adventures of the son of a ranger in an African game reserve.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review from my 7-year old daughter:

"This is a REALLY good book!"

Boy finds orphaned lion. Boy becomes attached to orphaned lion. Boy can't keep orphaned lion. Boy, at urging of his father, releases orphaned lion back into the wild. Boy realizes that he did the right thing.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehhhh. Plot is super predictable. Writing is pretty pedestrian. Plot questions: lion was raiding farms because it had been shot at before but once Akimbo shoots at it, it isn't going to come back (even for its cub) because it is scared?

[Ntebogeng Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's there not to love our a boy (like us) living in the jungle with animals for friendship going on adventures. The kids LOVED it. Only thing I don't like is the reference to Africa vs. giving the location a specific country name. To rectify that we imagined that Akimbo was somewhere in Kenya.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very earnest and carefully written. The vocabulary and sentence length is controlled, the adventure is exciting and almost believable, the lessons about this part of Africa and about wildlife management are concise but hit all the important notes. I'm not particularly comfortable with the bit in the middle where Akimbo assumes the cub recognizes the boy as master, but it's all ok in the end.

Definitely good for families who are homeschooling or doing enrichment and have kids who need interesting adventure stories that aren't too hard to read. Young me would have been bored with it, though.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Akimbo lives with his family on a Game Park where his father works as a Ranger. There is a report of a lion attacking cattle. Akimbo convinces his father to let him go along on the trip and help. A cage is erected to trap the lion but instead, a small cub is penned. Akimbo then convinces is father to let him raise the cub. What happens when the cub gets bigger?
Cute story. Although the location in Africa is never actually named, I'm placing it in Kenya based on Akimbo naming the cub Simba which is the Swahili word for lion.

[Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say what?! Alexander McCall Smith has written children's books? Now I can get my kids hooked on his writing early in life. I appreciate the fact that there are chapter books for kids about Africa, which seems like such a rarity to me. Keeping my fingers crossed that my kids enjoy this as much as I did.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akimbo and his mom and dad live on a preserve where his dad is a ranger. Dad gets a call from a local farmer because a lion has been killing his cattle in his pen. Dad must either relocate the lion or kill it. He allows Akimbo to accompany him on this mission. They wind up trapping a cub which Akimbo cares for.

Good for lower MG.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars: This second book of the series finds 10 year old Akimbo temporarily adopting a baby Lion after its mother abandons it. I liked how his father talks about how wild things stay wild and have to be released. The book itself was fine, exciting and dangerous in the beginning, slower toward the end.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good third/early fourth grade chapter book about Akimbo in the Africa. Akimbo lives on the reserve and tries to help his father catch elephant poachers. Clear book for exploring plot and how character choices drives plot. Good for teaching how to do literature circles.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great debut of the Akimbo book series. Akimbo is the son of a game preserve ranger who lives in Africa and he goes on adventures, the majority of which involve saving and rescuing animals and learning valuable life lessons.

[lorraine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not recommended at all. Story may be quite exciting but is totally at odds with conservation methods. Am unpleasantly surprised. Much better books on this subject for children. Particularly recommend "The Lion Children" McNeice. Fascinating and factual.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great short story with a cool moral at the end. Even my husband enjoyed it. Suitable for my fifth graders.

[Fritzov · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the authors best. But I'm a huge fan so it works.

[Taija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Afrikan eläinten ystäville simppeli tarina ripauksella jännitystä. Eläinsuojelullinen näkökulma.

[Maki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short story about saving the elephants from poachers.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting chapter book for young readers.......

[Kb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with a Lovie. A good introduction to conservation and wildlife. Grateful for the ending, as we do not need another Tiger King scenario.

[Moonshadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet tale.

[Esther May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute book about a boy who raises a lion cub. Great book for emerging readers.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and enjoyable audiobook to listen to.