Bookreview.com June 6, 2003
Patsy Smith Roberts
Publisher: Savuti Muti Publishing
Patsy Smith Roberts’ first visit to Africa as a photographer in the early 1990’s ignited a passion for the continent as well as for wildlife photography. On one such visit, Patsy met Gillian, a freelance writer who was writing a story for Travel & Leisure magazine. Patsy shared with Gill her longtime dream to produce a book for children with her photos of the animals that she had grown to love. Patsy and Gill co-authored “Rory” and are now in their first printing. A self-taught photographer, Patsy exhibits and sells her work at wildlife shows across the USA. Patsy lives on St. Simons Island, GA. Gill lives with her husband and two sons in Cape Town, South Africa.
What was your inspiration foro “Rory the Adventures of a Lion Cub”?
After collaborating with Gill about co-authoring the book with me, I flew back into Botswana bush to photograph. The guide and I found a pride of 22 lions and in the middle of the group there was one lion cub. It is most unusual to see just one cub, and this cub was very active and mischievous. He would bite the tail of one of the male lions,. And when the male swatted him he would just roll over in the sand and try again. I sat there for hours photographing this small delightful fellow, watching his mother try to discipline him, watching him get muddier and muddier, and finally subdued by his mother.
So the idea for Rory came from your animal photographs?
Yes, I felt the book should be about a lion cub. When I found this special cub there was no question, I knew he was the one. Once I got the photographs that I needed, Gill and I worked on the text. The story aims to foster a sense of self worth in all children and teaches them some valuable lessons about life while learning about African animals.
How do you feel about the book now?
I feel like I have given birth. It has been a scary and wonderful experience. Scary, because I hope it sells successfully. Wonderful, because I believe so passionately in the charm of the story. The lions are majestic creatures, and the cubs are mesmerizing.
Are you planning on writing another book?
Yes, there another book in the making. The response to Rory from children, parents, teachers, and librarians has been overwhelming. I didn’t realize how fascinated children are with African animals.
Rory is a young cub, the son of the head of the pride. He longs to be noticed and recognized as a valuable member of the group. He tries to teach himself to roar and encounters a giraffe, monkeys and a leopard while voicing his growls. None are very impressed with him, and he begins to feel badly about himself.
His mother comes to protect him from the leopard and speaks to him about being himself, telling him that it doesn’t take a loud noise or a big body to be important. She reminds him that the warthog is just as important as the large elephant and that one day he will be big enough to protect the pride. On the way back to the bush she encounters a hyena and fights with it. Rory is scared but yells for his dad, who comes to fight off the beast. He has become a protector after all. His father is proud of him and they practice their roars together.
Within the text we are introduced to several African animals. Just for those wonderful children who want to know more, the end of the book holds a treasure of tidbit facts about those animals, making it easier for parents to answer the questions of why and how.
The beauty of this picture book is in the photographs, taken by Patsy Smith Roberts in Botswana, Africa. Each photo is more enchanting than the last with the text clearly written to coincide with the image. Or vice versa, it all flows so smoothly that one cannot tell which came first. Patsy Smith Roberts and Gillian Cullinan work wonderfully together, brining us a delightful story that will be sure to become a cherished favorite by children everywhere.
(Bookreview.com – June 6, 2003)