School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-3-The author of the adult "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" mystery series originally published these delightful children's stories in Great Britain in the early 1990s. His short, illustrated chapter-book adventures will transport American readers to the plains of Africa where Akimbo lives with his parents on a Kenyan game reserve. His father works as a park ranger, and, on occasion, Akimbo is allowed to accompany him while he works. In Elephants, the two encounter a dead elephant, killed for its tusks. When the poachers aren't found immediately, Akimbo devises a plan to catch them in the act. After several suspenseful moments, the boy's simple, yet innocent plan works. In Lions, the child accompanies his father and other rangers as they investigate news of lion attacks. The plan is to trap the marauding animal and take it to another area, but by accident, they capture its cub. The African setting, dramatic full-page pencil illustrations, and the animal facts woven into the stories are sure to capture young readers.-Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
This fast-paced tale launches Smith's (the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mysteries) paper-over-board series starring Akimbo, who lives on the edge of an African game reserve. The lad is horrified when he and his ranger father come across a dead elephant, the victim of a gang of poachers who have killed it for its tusks. The boy surreptitiously takes a tusk from his father's storeroom as bait and promises to lead a poacher to a stash of another gang's booty if the man will teach him how they kill their prey. The narrative at times errs on the side of melodrama (e.g., watching the fallen elephant's calf wait for its mother to get up, Akimbo "declared war on the poachers"), but Smith effectively builds suspense. The boy realizes he is being stalked by an animal in the darkness, then narrowly escapes from a charging rhino. Akimbo emerges as a hero after leading his father and another ranger back to the poachers. The tale's brevity, Smith's concise writing and Pham's evocative full-page half-tone illustrations make this an attractive choice for reluctant readers. Akimbo and the Lions (1-58234-687-9) is also due out this month. Ages 7-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
(Primary) ""Imagine living in the heart of Africa.... Imagine living in a place where there are still elephants."" So begins the story of a young boy whose steadfast admiration of those great creatures draws him out of the loving circle of his family and into the hands of a dangerous gang of poachers. McCall Smith reads his own words with relish; his light accent and deep voice are both dignified and sonorous; and his steady pace lends reality and believability to a plot that at times tests the limits of credibility. The exotic setting, the hero's brave heart, and the satisfying ending all make this a fine audio choice for early elementary listeners, especially boys. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Well before Smith became known for his deft, book club pleasing Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, he penned sweet stories of Akimbo, the intrepid, nature-loving African boy. From his father, Akimbo learns to love animals and passes up no opportunity to protect them from poachers and sometimes from each other. In the first adventure, Akimbo learns about poachers who kill elephants for their tusks. In the tradition of the Hardy Boys, he takes matters into his own hands, breaks a few family rules and hunts the poachers himself. In the second story (Akimbo and the Lions, ISBN: 1-58234-686-0), Akimbo's father is called upon to save livestock from encroaching lions, and a cub is abandoned in the process. While readers will want to know which country Akimbo calls home and will question the stereotyped sex roles, they will cheer for the good-hearted boy as he bravely faces each danger in his quest to protect his beloved animals. (Fiction. 7-11) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 3-5. By a well-known author of adult books, this story, featuring a young boy, Akimbo, who lives "in the heart of Africa," conveys appreciation and respect for the African landscape, culture, and people, as well as the importance of wildlife conservation. Young Akimbo accompanies his father, a wildlife reserve ranger, to work and learns of poachers who are killing elephants. Determined to stop them, Akimbo goes undercover and finds himself face to face with the poachers and a scary rhino. The illustrations, which appear to be well-executed, soft-edged, black-and-white pictures, were not available in completed form in this galley. Pair this with Smith's Akimbo and the Lions. --Shelle Rosenfeld Copyright 2005 Booklist
