(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tara Anand. Singh tells the real-life story of how, at age twenty-one and despite coming from an underprivileged background, Rasila Vadher became the first woman forest guard in Gir Forest National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary, established in Gujarat, India, to protect Asiatic lions. Narrated in first-person prose that captures Vadher’s lion-hearted spirit and the risky but rewarding nature of her work, the book describes how pivotal (and painful) events in her childhood thrust her into the role of family breadwinner, stoked her passion for protecting the large, powerful cats, and prepared her to challenge gender bias. Back matter lists intriguing facts about Asiatic lions and acquaints readers with the Lion Queens -- an all-woman forest patrol whose members Vadher trained. Minimalist digital illustrations in tropical monsoon colors create a sense of openness that echoes Vadher’s mindset. Pair with Reynolds’s The Lion Queens of India (rev. 1/21).

Reviewer: Summer Edward