My new book, “Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari: A Story of One Little Penguin who Wanted to Meet the Wild Animals of Africa,” was recently released and is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FjmS6Q
Jackie the Penguin Goes on Safari: A Story of One Little Penguin who Wanted to Meet the Wild Animals of Africa
This is a story of a small South African penguin called Jackie who had a dream of visiting wild animals of Africa and learning about their appearances, behaviors, and characters. However, being a bird who could not fly, Jackie was terrified to meet the big, scary, and possibly dangerous inhabitants of the African savannah. So, his wish remained just a dream. But one day, Jackie’s life changed when he met and instantly became friends with two world travelers, Irene and Alex, who were on their way to an African safari.
In this book, filled with bright color pictures and vivid descriptions of African wildlife, kids will learn how relying on true friends helped Jackie to overcome his fears and anxieties and realize the dream of his life.
“Suburbanites on Safari” is available in Kindle and Paperback formats at Amazon.
Suburbanites on Safari: True Stories About My First Encounter with African Wild Animals
What this book is about
Table of Contents
Four friends, all big-city dwellers, embark on their first African safari. An internationally published travel writer and her husband, an award-winning travel photographer, are joined by their life-long friends on a journey to South Africa and Zimbabwe. Previously, their exploration of over 60 countries took them to big cities and historical monuments around the globe. But this trip is different.
Traveling around Kruger National Park and Victoria Falls, they crisscross the bush and meet African wildlife in its natural habitat. Which predators, grass eaters, branch nibblers, and birds of prey did they find? What did the animals do in the presence of people? How did it feel to be only a few feet away from a pride of lions devouring their kill, a herd of suspicious elephants, an intimidating Cape buffalo, or an unpredictable rhinoceros?
In an easy to read, conversational style, the author, Alex Shaland, delivers a fair mix of wildlife photography, animal and bird factual data, and practical information. Shaland shares his experiences as a first-time safari explorer and sprinkles the narrative with a good dose of humor and personal stories. If a trip to Africa is in your plans, this entertaining and informative book, jam-packed with photos of animals and birds, will help you make the first step on the way to your dream. If you are interested in wildlife, nature, and animal protection, the story will enrich your knowledge of the animal kingdom. At the very least, it is just fun to read.
Acknowledgments
Introduction, Sort Of
So Many Places to Go, So Little Time
Why Kruger National Park?
The Importance of Being Inside the Automobile as Opposed to Being Outside of It, or the Kruger Automobile Mystery
Driving Safari Choices at a Glance
Choosing the Best Safari Lodge or “Look, No Fence!”
Africa, Here We Come
Just Don’t Dangle Your Feet
The Importance of a Good Company
Walking Safari Rules You Do Not Want to Break
Exploring the Animal Kingdom on Foot
Zimbabwe Safari Walk with Only Three Bullets to Spare
Nobody Likes Hyenas
The Big Five
The Elephant Trap
Elephant’s Little Cousin
The Black Death
White Rhino or Black Rhino, Just Stay out of Their Way
Breakfast with Lions
The Leopard That Was Not There
Not So Fast, Cheetah
The Hippopotamus That Could Not Swim
It Is Hard Not to Stick Your Neck Out When You Are a Giraffe
Antelopes and Zebras
The Wildebeest Would Not Win a Beauty Contest
The Impala, African Champion of the High Jump
The Greater Kudu’s Horns Are the Envy of the Entire
Antelope Community
The Zebra Wears Its Striped Suit with Style
The Warthog Is Not Just Your Average Wild Pig
Meeting Vervet Monkeys and Baboons
A Few Words About Birds
Hooked on Safari
Suggested Reading
About the Author, Me
“An amazing real life perspective on African safari that has been delightfully shared. Funny and witty. Footsteps well worth following.”
Philip Coetzee, South Africa, Advanced Nature Guide, author of Birds for Beginners.
Alex Shaland Books 