SHAKA: KING OF THE ZULUS is a biography of Shaka, the celebrated leader of the Zulu clan in Africa. A complete biography, the story begins with Shaka as a young boy and follows him until after his death, when he remains a hero. Shaka is shamed and sent away from his tribe at a young age. Disgraced, he still believes that he will be great someday, in spite of his childhood. He becomes a great warrior and military leader.

The authors tell of Shaka's cruelty as well as of his talents. For example, he kills men for any insubordination. However, the authors are also quick to point out that the readers notion of cruelty is different from the beliefs of Shaka's time and place. The authors also take liberties with describing Shaka's feelings during the events of his life. One example is the time he "trembled" when his new weapon was handed to him. However, none of these liberties seem forced or unrealistic.

The pictures are colorful and interesting as they complement the text and a string of beads trails down each page. The lack of page numbers may have the readers flipping back and forth to make sure they did not miss a page. The smooth way the text flows and the picture book format make this story a good biography for younger and intermediate readers, especially for a short overview of Shaka's life.