In Like a Lion

Joan Buchanan is a children’s writer and storyteller. She is the
author of Taking Care of My Cold!, What If I Were in Charge?, Nothing
Else But Yams for Supper!, and The Nana Rescue.

This story is based on a real-life incident involving a cougar found in
the Empress Hotel’s parkade. To make the story accessible to young
listeners and readers, the author has fictionalized key characters. The
child narrator is the daughter of the conservation officer who
tranquilizes and removes the cougar as bystanders look on.

Lawson builds by having the narrator describe the fruitless search for
the cougar near the downtown area. Facts about cougars are well blended
into the straightforward storyline. It comes to a satisfying conclusion
as the narrator watches the cougar being released into the forest.
Written in the first person, the simple text rings with the authenticity
of a child’s voice. An extensive author’s note provides interesting
information about the actual event and about cougars in general.

The “wet on wet” watercolors (“the artist drops her colors on
soaking wet paper, letting them flow and blend freely”) complement the
mood of the story. Lefebvre uses colors effectively, and children will
enjoy spotting the elusive cougar on those pages where he has been
deliberately hidden.

Children, teachers, librarians, and other grownups will enjoy this
fact-based narrative. Highly recommended.