When the white lion comes to the Serengeti, he finds a prince. — Mythical saying, Kenya

Maaku lives in Kenya with his family, on the Serengeti Plain. His father is a game warden for the Mara   wildlife sanctuary. When a rare white lion is chased into Maaku's yard by poachers, he learns why animals like these need special protection. He also discovers he is the grandson of a Zulu warrior king. This means Maaku is a Zulu prince--a fact his parents kept secret until now!

About MAURICE CHEVALIER

Before retiring recently, Maurice Chavalier worked as Financial Administration Specialist for the U.S. Transportation Command. In 2023, he was Active Duty Master Sergeant with the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa. This inspired a deep love for the  heart of "Mother Africa,", its land and culture.

The youngest of seven children, Maurice spent every summer working with his dad at a dry cleaners, assembling hangars and sweeping the floor. He also helped the owner deliver clean clothing to customers. In his spare time, baseball was a favorite sport, and he walked the two miles to practice and back. "It taught me to think for myself," says Maurice. "Within the structure of sports, I always saw my environment as a safe one."

Writing stories with a mixture of independence and family interaction helps to show emotional balance. This dynamic in families leads to well-rounded youngsters. "When I began to have children, I wanted to play a key role in their development," Maurice says. "I spent time with them. talked with them, and coached them in every sport; baseball, softball, basketball and soccer." 

As a soldier in the Army Reserve, Maurice is currently in his 34th year where he presides over change of command ceremonies, color guard events, and best warrior competitions. He graduated with degrees from the University of South Florida, and from Hillsborough Community College, both in Accounting.

Maurice lives in Virginia with his wife and three children, enjoying retirement while coaching, mentoring youth sports, and writing adventure stories.  for the young. "I decided to write a story from an African family point of view," Maurice says. "I began writing to leave something for my children that would endure."

About 

Maaku & the Legend of the White Lion

BOOK 1/CHAPTER ONE EXCERPT

            Morning sun chased clouds away from a little African farmhouse. Maaku was still asleep when sunbeams reached through the window and warmed his face. He sat up in bed, yawned, and stretched his arms.

            POW! POW! POW!

            Rifle shots. Maaku threw the covers off.

            CAW! CAW! CAW! screeched some big birds. Their wings flapped as they flew away from the noise.
            Maaku ran to the window and looked out. VROOM! A truck drove away from the farmhouse at top speed, and onto the wild, open land of the Serengeti Plain.
            Poachers, thought Maaku. They were hunting an animal but probably ran away before the warden caught them. The warden was his dad. END EXCERPT

The first story of the series opens as a rare white lion gallops off the Serengeti Plain and onto the small family farm where Maaku lives with his mother, father, two sisters, and grandpa. Poachers fire gunshots but miss the lion and speed away. Maaku encounters the lion as he shelters in tall grass and later finds out that his father rescued a white lion cub years ago after its mother was shot and killed by poachers. 

Maaku, his father, and Grandpa Nuru venture out to find the lion. Bouncing across the plain in a jeep, they discover a band of poachers keeping various exotic animals caged and captive, which is illegal on the wildlife preserve. Maaku's dad and grandpa want to leave and wait for backup but Maaku thinks up a clever plan. With assistance from Kairo the lion, they fool the poachers and trap them.  A daring rescue frees the captive animals. As golden sun sets over the Serengeti, Maaku understands that caring for Africa's land and animals runs in his veins. It is a legacy of his family.  

Word count: 6,800

Sample pages or full manuscript available upon request from literary agents interested in possible representation. THIS MANUSCRIPT HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED. 

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