As with Buzzeo's Stay Close to Mama (2012), the African savanna is the setting here, but this time we meet Kito, a young male lion cub who imitates his father and wants to grow up to be a lion king just like him. Kito is quite content to stay near his papa. When Papa roars, Kito growls; when Papa sleeps, Kito sleeps; when Papa swats flies with his tail, Kito tries (and fails); and when Papa has had enough, Kito lies in the tall grass. Just as with human parents and their children, Papa teaches and guides Kito even during their play times. The personification of the lions allows the love between father and son to radiate throughout both the text and the luscious full-page colored illustrations. Buzzeo concludes with a brief note about lions. The book's large format and rich, rhythmic language make it a good candidate for reading aloud to a group. At the same time, its quiet nature makes for a good one-on-one sharing, too.

In this companion to Stay Close to Mama, lion cub Kito wants to be like his father, but his attempts to roar, pounce, etc. prove unsuccessful. Kito finally gains confidence after joining a wildebeest hunt. The playful scenes can be hard to reconcile with the brooding Lion Kingreminiscent illustrations of the savanna at night. An author's note discusses lion behavior.

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