Just Like My Papa

PreS-K—This companion to Stay Close to Mama (Hyperion, 2012) chronicles a day in the life of an adult male lion and his son. Though anthropomorphized, many details of life on the savannah shine forth in the simple, lyrical prose. Kito, the young cub of the king of the pride, narrates with the refrain, "Just like my papa, the King." After a playful, restful afternoon under an acacia tree, the action and atmosphere climax in a twilight hunt of wildebeest. Before a vast sun-swept landscape, "Papa stands and gives his dark brown mane a fearsome shake. He follows the lionesses to the hunt. Kito shakes his little head. He sneaks off after Papa. I will hunt, too. Just like my papa, the King." What makes this title work is the blend of factual information about a pride's habitat and behavior with the compelling, personal narrative of a son following his father's footsteps and winning his respect. The acrylic illustrations are larger than life and show the expanses of the savannah but remain warm and kid-friendly, especially in the lions' depth of expression, ranging from curiosity to impatience, from concern to pride. The pacing is superb, with the right amount of drama for the youngest readers yet awash with reassuring paternal love and care for young Kito. An author's note briefly describes the social interactions of a pride.—Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City