Facing The Lion: Growing Up Maasai On The African Savanna

Lekuton provides a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a nomadic tribe and recalls his first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition.

Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton gives American kids a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a tribe of nomads whose livelihood centers around the raising and grazing of cattle. Readers share Lekuton's first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition. They follow his mischievous antics as a young Maasai cattle herder, coming-of-age initiation, boarding school escapades, soccer success, and journey to America for college (where he was so worried about not eating with "proper" American manners that he went without food for four days). Lekuton's riveting text combines exotic details of nomadic life with the universal experiences and emotions of a growing boy. A full-color photo insert draws young readers deeper into this vibrant but rapidly disappearing culture.