In 2008, a YouTube clip became an internet phenomenon. It showed the emotional reunion of two young men and their pet lion, Christian, after they had left him in Africa to be introduced into his rightful home in the wild. Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall visited London from Australia in 1969 and bought a boisterous lion cub in Harrods. But Christian soon grew from cuddly cub to King of the Kings Road in London, and the only way to avoid him being incarcerated in a zoo was to place him under the expert care of George Adamson in Kenya. Ace and John did not return to see their lion for a year. "A Lion Called Christian" tells their touching story, accompanied by stunning photographs. It's a unique and extraordinary tale of its time that resonates again today with a worldwide audience, thanks to the internet age, and is destined to become one of the great classics of animal literature.

About the Author

Ace Bourke lives in Sydney and is one of Australia's leading art curators, a pioneer in the field of Aboriginal art and a colonial art specialist. John Rendall is a sixth-generation Australian, currently dividing his time between London and Sydney. John continues his commitment to the George Adamson Trust and the Born Free Foundation.

Prizes

The bestselling true story of three friends and their remarkable reunion.

Reviews

K-Gr 3-The story the lion cub purchased from the exotic animals department at Harrods in 1969 has transitioned from YouTube phenomenon to middle grade chapter book (Delacorte, 2009) and now to picture book. While details fleshed out in the chapter book are glossed over and sometimes poorly explained here, this book succeeds because of the authors' decision, many years ago, to document their time with Christian so well. The lion's story, presented as a scrapbook, is full of original photographs of the cub growing up in a London flat and his eventual relocation to the Kenyan bush. Christian's slightly anthropomorphized narrative has a brief introduction and conclusion by Bourke and Rendall. Young readers may not grasp the absurdity of keeping a wild animal as a pet, nor the serendipitous circumstances that led to Christian's placement with George and Joy Adamson, but they will enjoy the photos of Christian riding around London in a convertible, playing hide-and-seek with a blanket, and meeting the pride of lions that he would eventually join. The layout is excellent, with both text and photos presented in an uncluttered, easy-to-follow format. This is ultimately a satisfying story about an extraordinary relationship. It will intrigue children raised on Owen and Mzee and Knut the polar bear.-Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

This fascinating story has a wonderful ending. Daily Mail 20090321 An unabashedly stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal ... To read this book is to feel ... that Christian never left Time 20090331 Both immensely charming and intensely moving Good Book Guide

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. (Aug.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.