Children's Picture Book Review

Rory The Adventures of a Lion Cub
by Gillian Cullinan
Patsy Smith Roberts (Photographer)
ISBN-10: 0939801094
review by Heather Froeschl


Rory is a young cub, the son of the head of the pride. He longs to be noticed and recognized as a valuable member of the group. He tries to teach himself to roar and encounters a giraffe, monkeys and a leopard while voicing his growls. None are very impressed with him, and he begins to feel badly about himself.

His mother comes to protect him from the leopard and speaks to him about being himself, telling him that it doesnÆt take a loud noise or a big body to be important. She reminds him that the warthog is just as important as the large elephant and that one day he will be big enough to protect the pride. On the way back to the bush she encounters a hyena and fights with it. Rory is scared but yells for his dad, who comes to fight off the beast. He has become a protector after all. His father is proud of him and they practice their roars together.

Within the text we are introduced to several African animals. Just for those wonderful children who want to know more, the end of the book holds a treasure of tidbit facts about those animals, making it easier for parents to answer the questions of why and how.

The beauty of this picture book is in the photographs, taken by Patsy Smith Roberts in Botswana, Africa. Each photo is more enchanting than the last with the text clearly written to coincide with the image. Or vice versa, it all flows so smoothly that one cannot tell which came first. Patsy Smith Roberts and Gillian Cullinan work wonderfully together, bringing us a delightful story that will be sure to become a cherished favorite by children everywhere.