Lawrence woman Clare Blackmore wrote and illustrated the book, The Lawrence Lions.
Sultan and Sonia were shot for safety reasons at the order of the manager of Carlos' Circus after they escaped from the travelling circus following a performance at Lawrence, on March 30, 1978.
The pair have been on display at the Otago Museum since a Dunedin South Round Table project raised the money to preserve the lions, who were then donated to the museum.
A part-time teacher at both Lawrence Area School and Waitahuna School, Mrs Blackmore said many of her pupils were very excited about the book and were now writing their own picture books.
In the book, Mrs Blackmore included Lawrence characters involved on the night the lions escaped.
She said she went to school with Craig Grant, who had been clawed by Sonia, and she had also been in touch with the vet and the policeman involved in the incident.
"It seems that everyone I speak to has their own version of the events of the night."
Her own children did not know their father had seen the escaped lions, until she wrote the book.
Mrs Blackmore said they were reading her book when her husband Geoff said he was at rugby practice at the park when the lions appeared there, prompting the players to flee to the safety of their vehicles.
A book launch will be held at the Lawrence Golf Club from 7.30pm tomorrow night, with a display of newspaper clippings about the escape.
The book will also be available through the Tuapeka Goldfield Museum in Lawrence, from www.thelawrencelions.com and some Otago bookshops.
