Bradley Hague

This book is about exploring the bottom of the ocean and everything that lives below. It is based off of the national geographic channel. It introduces great vocabulary and is packed with interesting fun facts. I would use this in a classroom as a read aloud to introduce a new science or geography lesson on the ocean. I would only read about a couple pages that would relate to the lesson for the day, but allow the students to finish reading it on their own in the classroom. I personally thought this book was very interesting and I would use it in my classroom.… (mer)

In a tiny country in Africa where people live in huts, the population of lions was reduced to just one....a female lion appropriately named, Lady. Through war and severe poaching, the ecosystem was damaged with too many predators, not enough prey or land for them to survive. The author documents the fight to save Lady and bring new life to the Liuwa Plains of Zambia.

With the help of scientists, park rangers, and government officials Lady's survival became of the utmost importance. Lady was born to a litter in approximately 2002 and in 2004 photographer Herbert Brauer noticed that she seemed lonely. She would come up to their vehicle and roll around near them on her back (a sign of submissiveness and trust). She would purr and act playful and remain close to their camp. The crew became concerned and noticed that humans were the closest thing to family she had. Brauer made a film titled, "The Last Lioness" which made Lady famous around the world.

In this book, Hauge chronicles the decline of the lion population as well as other species in Western Zambia and how a team took on the task of realigning the ecosystem and giving Lady a family of lions again. It is amazing the dedication this team had for saving a community of people and animals over the course of 12+ years. There were many failures and reasons to give up, but they never did and today, Lady is blessed with a pride of lions to keep her company. The amazing part is how it all came together.

Reading this book reminded me of Saturday mornings during my childhood watching Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom". I always learned so much from Marlin Perkins about animals and their habitats. The show was something I looked forward to every Saturday and I remember often looking up the different animals and countries in our encyclopedias after the show was over. (Now, I'm really dating myself!) Reading this book took me back to my childhood living room couch and I quickly became fascinated with Lady and her story of survival.

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn't heard of Lady before and I learned so much about the country of Zambia and the importance of every piece to the ecosystem. If one part of the cycle falls apart, the whole system collapses. It isn't surprising that the book is also full of fabulous photography of the animals in their environment. It isn't a long book, but it is probably more appropriate for upper elementary to middle school readers due to the vocabulary and length of chapters. There is a glossary of animals and terms at the back of the book as well.… (mer)

National Geographic has always been on the cutting edge of presenting quality, beautifully professional articles brimming with easily readable information about the world in which we live. A thriving, beautiful, rich and glorious world and yet a world endangered by a variety of threats to that which makes it so wonderful. In Rise of the Lioness National Geographic focuses on the loss of the thriving ecosystem of the Liuwa Plains in the southern part of Africa and how the Lion population had been reduced to one lioness.

I found it interesting that as early as the 1800s the African ruler of the area had protective rules in place to preserve the land and the animals. I also found it interesting that the blame for the decline of this area was not relegated solely to wealthy safari hunters. Grass burning, grazing farm animals competing with wild herds, war, and hunting all played a part in wrecking the land and toppling the ecological balance. So that leads us to the star of the book...... "Lady" the sole surviving lioness.

The reintroduction of lions (top of the chain of ecological balance) into the area began the restoration process and today the system is recovering nicely. This took a great amount of effort, cooperation, and diligence to make it work.

The text of Rise of the Lioness is very well written and easily understandable by school age children yet also contains information that makes for fascinating reading for adults as well. At the back of the book there are several pages with bits of information that really add to the research and educational value of the book: "Animals of the Liuwa Plaisn," a Glossary, and an Index.

I highly recommend this book for school and public libraries, home schools, and classroom shelves. A truely valuable teaching tool.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review of my honest opinions. I was not compensated.… (mer)

RISE OF THE LIONESS by Bradley Hague tells the true story of the decline of predators, the last lioness, and hopes for ecosystem renewal in West Zambia.

This work of nonfiction is organized into five chapters exploring the collapse and rebuilding of lions in Liuwa Plain National Park. The book begins with an exploration of life in the African plains. Next, readers explore the decline of the predator population as a result of animal conflict, human war, and other causes. Next, the book describes the plans for restoration and the rebuilding process. The lioness known as the Lady of Liuwa serves as an example of the struggles experienced by the lion population during this process. The book concludes with an afterword, glossary, and index.

Librarians will find this book popular among middle grade students who enjoy animals particularly lions, along with those interested in wildlife conservation. This book would be an excellent way to introduce students to the ecosystems and the interconnected lives of plants, animals, and humans in a healthy environment.

Published by National Geographic on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.… (mer)