Christian the Lion

March 23, 2009
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.

July 1, 2009
Gr 3-6-Christian the lion lived in London with two antique dealers until they decided he needed to be trained to survive in the wild and live out a happier life in Africa. Bourke and Rendall tell this strange tale of buying the lion cub in a department store, giving him the run of their home and store, and introducing him to their life in the thick of the city. They describe where he liked to sit, what he liked to do, and how he reacted to new situations. All of the circumstances pile up on one another, making for a slow-paced narrative. The story is based on the authors experiences, but, according to the CIP, the names of people, places, dates, the sequences and details of events, and the actions and conversations of real-life figures have been changed. So it is difficult to know what is true and what is not other than their love for this gentle lion and their understandable unhappiness about their preparations for his eventual departure. Some of the photos seen on YouTube are grouped with other black-and-white and color shots in the center of the book. Back matter contains tidbits about Christian, lions in general, and various famous animals. This is not an essential purchase."Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 17, 2009
Christian, the lion who was adopted from a London department store by the authors (and whose story has garnered worldwide attention via a popular YouTube video), narrates this scrapbook-style account, based on the authors' 1971 work, A Lion Called Christian
. Captions and photographs (both in b&w and color) create an entertaining and lighthearted portrait of the lion, beginning with images of his “dad” and “mom” at England's Ilfracombe Zoo Park, followed by his life after being adopted by Bourke and Rendall (a section titled “Exploring!” shows Christian sheepishly chewing on a trash basket and rummaging through a drawer of clothes). When Christian finally ends up in Kenya, he declares, “My new home! Africa was very different. It was very hot and dry.” An endnote from Bourke and Rendall explains the circumstances of their moving reunion with Christian a year after leaving him in Kenya. Animal lovers in general as well as those already familiar with this true story should appreciate the intimate, visual presentation. Ages 4–8.

July 1, 2009
This adaptation of the 1971 book A Lion Called Christian tells the true story of a lion cub sold in a department store and raised in a London flat; renewed interest comes from a popular YouTube video. The events are inherently interesting, but the clunky narrative flattens the story. A sixteen-page photo insert is the book's highlight.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)