"Losing isn't shameful. What's truly shameful is running away." A story that cheers on children stepping out into a new world—the bestselling series Wanini the Blue Lion, a favorite for elementary school "one book per semester" reading programs, returns with its sixth installment. Book 6 begins as Asante, the first male lion born into Wanini's pride, leaves his family to set out on his own path. Readers who remember the unforgettable "Uncle Asante" from Book 1 will feel a spark of recognition at the name alone—he was the legendary lion known as "the Great Asante," who died protecting young Wanini by standing up to a powerful rival. Young Asante, who has always taken pride in bearing this special name, sets out into the savanna with his younger brother Huru. But on the very first day, he realizes he shares only the name with the great lion of legend—he is smaller and weaker than his namesake, and the realization leaves him crestfallen. Yet through the challenges that follow, he overcomes crisis after crisis, meets wise lionesses along the way, and grows into a male lion who understands responsibility. Asante's touching journey of believing in himself and adapting to an unfamiliar savanna will resonate deeply with longtime fans of the Wanini series as well as readers discovering it for the first time. "What a male lion truly needs to do is grow as wise as he is strong." Courage and wisdom to protect what matters, even in the face of fear As soon as Asante steps into the savanna, other animals mock him, saying he doesn't live up to his great name. But through the advice of wandering lions he happens to meet, he comes to understand that his clumsy mistakes are simply part of growing up, not signs that he's a weak lion. After facing conflicts both big and small, Asante ends up living among lioness Wedge's pride, where he learns that true strength means listening to the hearts of those different from yourself—and he grows into a mature lion who finds the courage to protect what he holds dear. Having to solve every problem on his own for the first time, away from the protection of his pride, Asante's struggles will remind readers of children who will one day leave familiar places to face an unfamiliar world. Through Asante, author Lee Hyun conveys that true strength comes from believing in oneself, offering heartfelt encouragement for children to always trust themselves and overcome their fears. "What kind of lion will Asante become? Sometimes brave, sometimes cowardly, sometimes wise, sometimes foolish—he'll even do things he himself can't quite understand. But in every one of those moments, he'll choose for himself, act for himself, and write his own story." —from the Author's Note "The kindest word in all the savanna: 'we.'" The beauty of accepting difference and living together on the savanna This installment vividly portrays the ecosystem of the African savanna while capturing moments where love and friendship rise above the law of the jungle. Asante breaks the rules of male lions for Wedge, whom he falls for at first sight, forming a pride together with her—he spares the cubs that Wedge's pride had been raising. In return, Wedge stays by Asante's side when he is in danger. The ethics of a male lion, who protects his pride by eliminating rivals, and a lioness, who hunts for food and cares for cubs, are naturally different. But by choosing to look out for one another and overcoming hardships together, Asante and Wedge build a deep bond of trust. The sight of lions striving to understand those different from themselves reminds us of the beauty of accepting difference and living together. Meanwhile, Wanini, who has grown lonely after her two sons left, catches the scent of Asante, Huru, and Maisha—the lioness who left Wanini's pride in Book 5—carried on the wind one day, and is grateful that they are all safe. What will happen next to Wanini, who fully experiences both the joys and sorrows of the savanna as she fulfills her duties as the leader of her pride? The Wanini the Blue Lion series continues.