The Year of the Leopard Song

by Eric Campbell

Book Overview

Alan embarks on a treacherous journey up the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, following the Song of the Leopard, which is also pulling his suddenly aloof friend, Kimathi, to the upper peaks and to a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152998063
• ISBN13: 9780152998066
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P
• Length: 161 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

A Story Not To Forget

The Year of The Leopard Song by Eric Campbell is a very interesting book. Alan, a 16-year-old boy, lives with his parents at the foot of Mt. Kilma Njaro in Africa. When Alan's best friend Kimathi is missing, and they find a dead chicken hanging in their shed, they become frightened. So, Alan begins a journey up the mountain to find his good friend. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves action, suspense, and mystery. I would recommend this book because it many great action scenes that keep your eyes glued to the pages to see what will happen next. For example, when Alan gets to the top of the mountain he finds kimathi. Kimathi is entranced and tries to kill his friend. Also, the book is very descriptive and it is almost as if one can feel the emotions that the characters possess. I think that this is a good quality in a book because it gives the book substance. Besides all of those great qualities, The Year of The Leopard Song gives geographical features of Africa and the mountains around it. You can really see how tough it would be to climb the mountains, like Alan and Kimathi do.Some might disagree with my opinion of this book. They might think that it is too descriptive and boring. But Campbell does a good job of keeping the reader interested by bringing in brief action scenes that lead up to the main event at the end of the book. Also, the book is 192 pages long and it isn't until around page 170 that anything major starts to happen. But I think that the description before is needed to give the reader a better sense of what is happening, and the different views and feelings of each character. I would definitely recommend this book. It has action, suspense and description. That's about all that a book needs.

A struggle between a British lad and a young Chagga man.

This supernatural struugle is truly gripping and thrilling. Campbell reveals the struggle between the African tribal and British white man's ways through the use of realistic, alternating dialogue and thoughts. The descriptions of Mt. Kilamanjaro make me want to climb it to see for myself its mystical wonders. The two boys, Kimanthi and Alan, move from boyhood best friends to predator-prey. The ending of the story left my heart aching for for both boys and their families. I plan to use this novel in my 11th grade English course called Communications III. This novel is a good example of world literature to teach students about Africa and part of its history. Also, it exemplifies how communication is used and misused by people of different age groups and cultures when they try to express themselves or relate to each other.

An African story which ties in mystery and suspence.

Kimithi has to reafirm the connection of the Chagga tribe and the Leopard. The story brings you on numberous adventures with Kimithi and Alan (Kimithi's best friend) to Leopard Point.

Confusing, but fun to read.

Eric is a great writer, but this book was confusing to me. A wonderufl plot and excellent writing. The animals are nice to read about. He writes like he is there. Wonderful.