Akimbo and the Lions- December, 14th, 2009

The name of the book I have just read is Akimbo and the Lion by Alexander McCall Smith.
This book made me feel nervous at some points because there was a time in the book that Akimbo's father went out to look at the lion trap to see if it worked and they caught the lion I got scared and I thought that the lion would attack Akimbo's father but he came back holding a little lion cub. This book also made me feel sorry in the middle of the beginning because as Akimbo and his father set up the trap to capture the lion they put a goat in the trap. I also felt sorry for the goat because I knew he would get eaten. In another part of the story I was laughing and feeling fun and joyful because there was a part in the book after Akimbo took in the lion cub. He fed him played with him until he grew into a teenage lion. but one day the lion cub followed Akimbo to his school and when his class was going to finish and recess started Akimbo heard someone scream lion so Akimbo went outside and went to Simba (the lion) while his teacher was yelling get away from the lion. This really made me laugh just to picture a bunch of people running around screaming while the lion did nothing except stare it was a very funny picture in my head. A connection to my life from the book is that Akimbo loved his lion but as the lion grew old they couldn't keep him so they had to part this happened to me My dog had six puppies but we had to give them away and really didn't want to part with them. This connection made me feel Akimbo's pain about letting go of Simba. This is a just right book for me because I can really understand it but sometimes I have to really think but I know it is helping me improve in reading.

There are to big chracters in this book and they are Simba and Akimbo. I'll talk about both of them. Simba is a lion who is quite strange that is what I think because usually lions go aroung attacking people but Simba was tame and he didn't scratch anyone. I first thought because well Akimbo raised this Lion not to hurt people but when he went to Akimbo's school he didn't go around trying to smell people see if he knows them but he didn't do that he merely walked into the school grounds and walked to Akimbo I find that a strange thing in a lion. Another thing that is strange about Simba is that he is a lion who doesn't remember his owner after 2-3 months. For example in the book a few months after Akimbo set Simba free in the wild his father took him to camp which was not very far from the place they realesed Simba, Akimbo woke up early to admire the scenery then he went to the river and found a pride of lions drinking then he saw a lion. He knew within his bones it was Simba he cried "Simba" but the lions already left. I think Simba remembered him faintly but not fully that is why he left. Simba didn't change very much except in the end when he couldn't remember Akimbo. The other big character in the book is Akimbo. He is brave and he isn't afraid of animals such as crocidiles lions snakes and many others. I think he isn't afraid of these animals because he was raised to love all animals not to hate ugly ones not to adore beautiful ones he was raised to admire all animals. I admire Akimbo because he loves animals and he doesn't care if they hurt him or if their type hurts people like the way he loved Simba even though he was growing up to be a lion. Akimbo loves to go out with his father and explore different kinds of animals discover new things so I also think he is a boy who is eager to learn more. An example is when his father told him he was going to capture a lion and he would set it out somewhere else not to hurt the cattle, Akimbo started pleading to come along and promised to help make the trap. Even though he had to make the trap in the blazing sun he was he eager to keep learning. I'm not sure what Akimbo wants to be when he grows up I think he'll decide to run the game resort. Akimbo changed in this book because first he cared about animas and he let them go free but in this book he has a hard time trying to leave Simba. He also changed in a way of letting animals go I think he changed because he learned how all animalds have to go back to they're family to the jungle.

The proble of this story was resolved when Akimbo and his father captured Simba and his mother stopped attacking the cattle. I felt good about the resolution and when the mother of Simba stopped attacking cattle and also when simba was back into the wild. The thing that I would like to change in the book would be that Simba was back in the wild then he saw a lioness and reconized it was his mother that would make Akimbo know that he was not the only one who loved Simba and he belonged with his family. I think the authers message was some things can be known as mean and cruel but when you get to know them they can be nice and friendly. I liked the way Mr. Smith gave this message in the form of a lion it was a thing that I enjoyed. Thank you for reading my book report hope you enjoyed it and start the book Akimbo and the Lions.