Fact and fiction are cleverly interwoven in this thoughtful story which balances up the needs of people and animals to share space safely. Pedro looses most of his right arm when a lion savages him one night. He broods on his lion and hopes for the strength to kill it one day. But, as he heals, and encouraged by thoughtful advice from his father, Pedro learns that the most important thing it to keep both lions and humans safe - and able to live together.
A child, a wild animal - and a life-changing encounter. This is an exciting new range of books in which children find solutions to problems through conservation rather than killing. On his way home from a fishing trip Pedru is attacked by a lion who takes his arm. As Pedru gradually adapts to his altered circumstances, at home and at school, he vows to get his revenge. So when his father, the finest hunter in the village, agrees to hunt the lion with him, Pedru is thrilled. But father and son track and kill the wrong lion - and find it's wearing a collar. Pedru's feelings change when he returns the collar to the Madune Carnivore Research Unit and the scientists there help him see his lion in a different light. With this new understanding he devotes himself to the study of lion behaviour, inspired by the animals' resilience and the possibilities their careful management opens up for his country's future in the form of tourism. Nicola Davies has visited all the countries she writes about - and information about real conservation projects is included at the back of each book. Unlike the competition, these books focus on children who live in countries where wild animals pose a threat, and the solutions that will affect their lives and their future. It features beautiful black and white mixed media illustrations by Annabel Wright.
Nicola Davies is an award-winning author whose many books for children include Ice Bear, Big Blue Whale and King of the Sky. She is a Zoology graduate, an expert in whales and bats, and has worked for the BBC Natural History Unit. She lives in Powys
