Lions & Cheetahs & Rhinos OH MY! Animal Artwork by Children of Sub-Saharan Africa: Picture Book Review

                                                                 

Today I'm sharing another unique book published by Sleeping Bear Press, Lions, & Cheetahs & Rhinos OH MY!. Sorry, no giveaway this time--I'm keeping this one for my grandkids. 

HOW TO DRAW A LION

I love the concept behind this book. Each stellar drawing was made by a young African who participated in John Platt's non-profit program, How to Draw a Lion. 

Here is the program's mission statement from their website:

How to Draw a Lion is a program founded to provide art classes for children, raise money for their education with shows around the world, and to create awareness about child welfare and conservation.  The program has taken shape around art classes for under-resourced youth in sub-Saharan Africa, and now the US.  Each piece brings with it the spirit and personality of the artist who created it and the sale of the work raises funds for the organizations that support their education. All proceeds from the book are donated to the program to support these and future artists. 

REVIEW 

Do you like wild animals? Would you like to paint one? How about a LION?

Young readers are invited into this gorgeous book with information about this ferocious hunter.

Each page leads naturally to the next. Maybe the reader won't want to get too near to a lion to draw her, so he might want to draw a gentler animal, like a zebra.

The text provides interesting information about each animal. Did you know that you can tell zebras apart because the pattern of each zebra's stripes is different, like fingerprints?

Cheetahs with all their spots are FAST! You better draw a cheetah before it dashes away...It can race at 65 miles per hour.

[Giraffes] are covered in spots too. Like the zebra's stripes, the pattern of posts on the giraffe's fur is special to each animal. 

Like the giraffe, here's another animal that loves to eat vegetables.

An animal that spends its day in the water and feeds on the grass at night is pictured here.

An elephant can drink 50 gallons a day--that's 800 glasses of water!

Female lions raise the cubs and are the primary hunters for the pride.

An animal this majestic inspires everyone. Let's all draw a lion and then paint it!

Other facts I learned reading this book:

1. Impalas are a type of antelope.
2. Leopards are shy.
3. Some gorillas live in tropical forests but others hang out in the mountains. 

CURRICULUM RESOURCE

How to Draw a Lion concludes with information about endangered animals and habitat loss. By learning about African animals and their endangered status, you can help protect them.

Of course, this book would not be complete without directions on how to draw a lion; and these are included. If you don't get a copy for your child, grandchild, or classroom, you can follow this tutorial instead.

A cross-curriculum book, students in grades K-4th grade will enjoy the artwork and information about African animals. I hope many readers will be inspired by the art of other young people and attempt to draw animals also. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go draw a lion.