A Leopard Diary: My Journey Into the Hidden World of a Mother and Her Cubs

by Suzi Eszterhas (Author)

A Leopard Diary: My Journey Into the Hidden World of a Mother and Her Cubs
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

An inside look at the life of leopard cubs from nature photographer Suzi Eszterhas World-renowned wildlife photographer.

Suzi Eszterhas loves leopards, but their elusive nature makes them hard to photograph. So when Suzi is invited to photograph a leopard and her cubs at a nature reserve in Botswana, she packs her bags and boards a plane to Southern Africa! Through a series of diary entries, Suzi invites readers to follow two leopard cubs as they grow from tiny furballs to fierce predators. It's a dangerous world for leopard cubs, so their mom is always close by--feeding her little ones, protecting them from threats, and teaching them how to survive in the wild. Suzi captures sweet maternal moments, dangerous encounters, and hilarious antics--such as when one of the leopard cubs sleeps in a pile of elephant poop! Stunning full-color wildlife photography brings the leopard cubs to life, while fun facts throughout the book deepen the reader's understanding of these amazing creatures. Suzi's passionate storytelling and compelling voice will evoke respect for all wildlife and inspire readers to help protect it. A portion of the royalties from sales of this book will be donated to Children in the Wilderness, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable conservation through the education and leadership development of rural children who live close to African reserves.

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Hardcover
$18.95

Kirkus

Fascinating reading and viewing for younger prey—er, animal lovers.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 3-6--A leopard mother, usually an extremely difficult animal to track much less photograph, has given birth to two cubs on a reserve in Botswana, giving this wildlife author a rare opportunity to use her professional photographer's skills. What made this endeavor an even more successful enterprise, Kambango, an experienced tracker familiar with the mother leopard and the preserve, took the job to guide Eszterhas into the wilderness. For young readers, this is an adventure of a lifetime, as they can follow along on a touching account of a leopard mothering her cubs and view the newborns learning vital skills. The diary format engages readers with text and photographs that reveal their progress alongside the hard realities of survival. It feels like a welcome letter sent back home, a real treat in book format. Back matter consists of an interview with the tracker; information about Children in the Wilderness, nonprofit organization for conservation; and a glossary. VERDICT Put this book on the shelves and let readers go on this adventure; it is well worth the purchase.--Nancy Call

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"For young readers, this is an adventure of a lifetime. [A] real treat in book format ... Put this book on the shelves and let readers go on this adventure; it is well worth the purchase."— "School Library Journal - STARRED REVIEW"
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781771474917
Lexile Measure
860
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Owlkids
Publication date
November 08, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF037020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Environmental Conservation & Protection
JNF003130 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Lions, Tigers, Leopards, etc.
JNF041000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Photography
Library of Congress categories
Infancy
Pictorial works
Juvenile works
Botswana
Parental behavior in animals
Leopard

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