Twin fifteen year old boys visit Africa with their family. As part of a home-schooling project they keep journals. First they cross the Kalahari Desert in a small Cessna, to study the animals on the plains. The white rhino is endangered by poachers, but they soon see one at a waterhole, along with wildebeest, kudu and other denizens of this wild country. GANNON AND WYATT can't believe how cold the desert gets at night and next morning are keen to visit the Bushmen in their village. But a close encounter with the mother of newborn rhino calves convinces them that the creatures of Botswana have to be treated with respect.

The Bushmen are building a larger school so their children can be educated sufficiently to negotiate with the government. They demonstrate how to find meagre water in the desert, they walk on the rough ground in bare feet. The boys are impressed by their survival skills. Then word comes of a lioness with cubs shot and injured by a poacher. Gannon and Wyatt, taking daily anti-malaria medication, join the party that sets off to investigate. They fly to the Okavango Delta, a lush, watery environment. Animals of many kinds populate this area and colourful birds join them. There's also a vulture which has taken an unfortunate interest in the group... and poachers are still out there, as becomes all too clear.

The travels of these bright teenagers are a good way to learn about different parts of the world, and we get the smells, the temperatures and the local speech. Gannon is more direct and friendly, while Wyatt likes to make scientific notes and ask questions. Both lads are concerned about the environment and the local peoples, and possible destruction of animal populations. While they travel with their parents they generally become separated from them in the wilderness and need to depend upon their own resources to survive. We get good photos of the scenes, from Bushmen to hyenas and an elephant.

Authors Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet have created an exciting, interesting series for young adults and this first book GANNON AND WYATT - BOTSWANA won several awards. And as Gannon says, playing with a lion cub beats playing with a dog or cat any day of the week.