Christian the Lion

An amazing and heart-warming true story about a young lion who finds a home in London!

Ace Bourke was born in Sydney in 1946. He has become one of Australia's leading art curators, a pioneer in the field of Aboriginal art and a colonial art specialist, staging numerous critically acclaimed exhibitions. Ace hopes to immerse himself again in wildlife and conservation projects, to help address the world's urgent environmental issues. He lives in Sydney with his two cats. 
 
John Rendall is a sixth-generation Australian, and currently divides his time between London and Sydney. John continues his commitment to the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust and is a member of the Royal Geographical Society in London. He has been involved in travel-focused public relations, concentrating on conservation projects, lodges and reserves in Africa. John's three children share his passion for wildlife and conservation.

"Do you hear that, little fellow?" Ace asked the lion cub excitedly. "You're coming with us!" 
 
It's almost Christmas and as two friends search for gifts in London they come across the most unbelievable sight - a lion for sale in the famous store, Harrods. Unable to bear the thought of leaving the little cub, Ace and John take him home and name him Christian. A year of fun and mischief later, Christian has grown up and Ace and John must find him a new home back in his native Africa.

Anthony Bourke

John Rendall

This fascinating story has a wonderful ending

An unabashedly stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal ... To read this book is to feel ... that Christian never left

Both immensely charming and intensely moving

In 2008, a YouTube clip became an internet phenomenon. It showed the emotional reunion of two young men and their pet lion, Christian, after they had left him in Africa to be introduced into his rightful home in the wild. 
 
Anthony 'Ace' Bourke and John Rendall visited London from Australia in 1969 and bought a boisterous lion cub in Harrods. But Christian soon grew from cuddly cub to King of the Kings Road in London, and the only way to avoid him being incarcerated in a zoo was to place him under the expert care of George Adamson in Kenya. Ace and John did not return to see their lion for a year. 
 
A Lion Called Christian tells their touching story, accompanied by stunning photographs. It's a unique and extraordinary tale of its time that resonates again today with a worldwide audience, thanks to the internet age, and is destined to become one of the great classics of animal literature.

Anthony Bourke

Praise for A Lion Called Christian

This fascinating story has a wonderful ending

An unabashedly stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal ... To read this book is to feel ... that Christian never left

Both immensely charming and intensely moving

This fascinating story has a wonderful ending

An unabashedly stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal ... To read this book is to feel ... that Christian never left

Both immensely charming and intensely moving

This fascinating story has a wonderful ending

An unabashedly stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal ... To read this book is to feel ... that Christian never left

Both immensely charming and intensely moving

Books by Anthony Bourke

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter