K-Gr 4 Cecil the lion became a household name upon his death in 2015, but the authors (Craig Hatkoff and his two daughters) look past the news clips to share with readers Cecil's life. Colorful and sharp photographs guide readers as they learn about his beginnings and adulthood. Cecilobserved and tracked by Brent Stupelkamp, a photographer and lion researcherwas long thought to be a unique lion, from his comfort with tourists (he often seemed to pose specifically for the jeeps) to his joining forces with another lion, Jericho, to lead a pride of lionesses and cubs. This pairing of two unrelated male lions to rule together over territory was extremely rare. Although legally protected within Hwange National Park, Cecil was no match for the lion hunters who lured and killed him just outside of the park's borders. Tenderhearted readers might be saddened to read how Jericho waited for his friend to return, but the text and photos appropriately avoid any graphic or gory details. Information about lion behavior, diet, and prides helps to elevate the text and place Cecil's life into context. While avoiding an in-depth conversation about U.S. trophy hunters (and totally omitting any specific mention of the actual American hunter responsible for killing Cecil), the text and accompanying back matter emphasize conservation, balanced ecosystems, and the ripple effect of human hunters. Young readers will find the pictures inviting and the text easy to understand.

The Hatkoffs (Owen & Mzee) add to their roster of real-life animal stories with a moving look at a pride of lions that researcher Stapelkamp studied in Zimbabwe-s Hwange National Park-particularly the pride-s leader, Cecil, famously killed by an American dentist in 2015. -Everyone knew how Cecil died,- write the authors. -We would tell the story of how Cecil lived.- Based on Stapelkamp-s time with the lions (and featuring intimate photographs throughout), the book traces challenges to Cecil-s authority and lion behavior in general; following Cecil-s (off-screen) death, the focus shifts to how the pride adjusted to his absence. It-s a poignant story that is sure to prompt conversations about hunting and wildlife preservation. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)