I Survived the Night of the Lions, 2025 (I Survived #26)

by Lauren Tarshis

Lauren Tarshis's 26th I Survived book transports readers deep into one of the most breathtaking - and dangerous - places on Botswana's Okavango Delta. This remote wilderness bursts with life, sheltering more lions, elephants, and dazzling (and deadly) creatures than almost anywhere else on the planet.Eleven-year-old Dylan is still reeling from the injury that shattered his all-star Little League dreams back home in Boston. His film-maker older sister offers him the trip of a to travel with her as she films a world-famous lion expert in the heart of southern Africa.Dylan's days in the wilds of Botswana are filled with awe and wonder - elephants splashing in lagoons, leopards growling under star-lit skies, herds of zebras racing through golden grasslands, glittering snakes basking on tree branches - until disaster strikes.A plane crash hurls Dylan into the unforgiving wilderness, where deadly creatures are on the prowl. Alone, injured, and terrified, Dylan must summon every ounce of strength and as he faces the deadliest predator of the African lion.

Genres: Adventure, Survival

144 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2026

About the author

Lauren Tarshis often wonders how she came to spend most of her waking moments thinking about disasters, as the author of the children's historical fiction series "I Survived." Each book takes readers into the heart of history's most thrilling and terrifying events, including the sinking of the Titanic, the Shark Attacks of 1916, Hurricane Katrina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the San Francisco earthquake, 9/11, and the Battle of Gettysburg. Writing these books often makes her feel very nervous, as though at any moment a volcano could erupt right outside her window. Then again, she has learned a thing or two about avoiding being eaten by a shark.
Lauren is also the author of the the award-winning Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and its sequel, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love.

For more information, go to her website: www.LaurenTarshis.com

And check out the I Survived Website: www.Scholastic.com/ISurvived

Reviews

[Ms. Yingling]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

After Dylan injures his arm playing baseball at home in Boston, he travels with his much older sister, Maya, who is the social media influencer behind Maya's Wild Life. Their destination? Botswana! Accompanied by a local driver, Tito, they learn about the lions in the area. Of particular interest in Mogolo, who is in charge of his pride, and the younger Kotsi brothers, who need to strike out on their own and find a pride that they can take over after defeating the leader. When Mogolo shows up on videos as having been caught in a wire, the team heads out to try to help him, and Dylan and Maya are allowed to come along. Unfortunately, on the return trip the plane they are traveling in crashes, and Maya shatters her leg. The pilot, Rik, is badly burned, and the plane explodes! Dylan has been warned the the night belongs to the predators, so he is very cautious when he tries to get water from a lagoon. When the Kotsi brothers see him, will he and his group be able to survive the night?
Strengths: The I Survived books are popular with 6th graders in my building, and this 26th tale is part of a new series, Wildlife Adventures. It's more like the Gary Paulsen World of Adventure books; quick, interesting, and short. I wish I had the whole series of these, since the two I do have are quite worn out. Young readers who want to be influencers will be enthralled by Maya's lifestyle, and there's some sympathy for Dylan after injuring his arm. There are notes and pictures on Tarshis' own trip to Botswana as well as facts and a bibliography, making this informative as well as exciting.
Weaknesses: This was not a personal favorite of mine. I didn't much care for Dylan or Maya, and the ending was very sudden. There was very little surviving, and Dylan didn't get to do much that contributed to the group's rescue.
What I really think: I will probably buy a copy of this while I can get it in hardcover, since it will get a lot of use. I can see this being a book that lures some of my students into reading other historical adventures.

[Heidi]

This new take on a popular series finds readers traveling to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Africa. After Dylan injures his arm in a baseball game, his sister takes him on an adventure to distract him. His sister's job as an online influencer has taken her to many different places around the world and this time Dylan gets to go. Things prove to be exciting from the very beginning with a rough airplane landing. Studying lions with just a handful of people proves to be both fascinating and risky. As they get ready to leave, an accident leaves them stranded in the wilderness at night with lions on the prowl. As with her historical I Survived series, this one starts with the accident before returning to the circumstances that got Dylan and his sister into the situation. Details about the landscape and the remarkable animals and scientists who live there make for a gripping read that will keep young adventurers turning the pages. A short section at the back of the book allows the author to explain the trip that inspired the book. I Survived fans will be happy to join this new twist on a well-known series.

[JL Salty]

rating: g+ adventure / wildlife danger/violence. no sex, profanity.
recommend: 2nd-5th / maybe 6th fans of the series, but also wildlife fans

I like this new branch of the I survived series, it gives magic tree house vibes, as far as a focus and information sharing. good stuff.

[Casey]

I thought this was decent; a little different Since it's not based on an actual true event, but still based on facts, I thought it was a fun, exciting story that kids would probably enjoy as well.
I will definitely read more wildlife adventures if this author continues to write them!

[Caren]

My grandson will love this book. Pitching and lions.

Not HF this time, instead it is adventure and learning about wildlife.

[Antonela LoRusso]

This was amazing! I love that the author educated the reader about wildlife and different places of nature. As an animal and nature lover, I loved that part.

[Luke]

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