Can You Spot the Leopard?: An African Safari Picture Book
One of the very best trips I’ve ever taken in my life was to South Africa. Like many people before me have said, it left quite a big impression on me. As a big animal lover, going on safari meant a lot to me. And seeing those amazing creatures in their natural environment is a very meaningful experience.
I’d very much like to take my family on Safari one day, and, since we are an entire crew of animal lovers, I’d like to think that the experience would have a similarly powerful effect on them as well. The closest we’ve come as a family was Animal Kingdom’s safari in Disney World, and, while still a memorable experience, it just can’t compare to animals really and truly being in their natural environment.
I’m extremely proud that both of our kids have grown to be kindhearted, animal-loving children. And they’ve both grown quite an affinity for cats in particular. And, for that reason, the brand new picture book Can You Spot the Leopard? really catches their eye on the shelf - especially with the beautiful full-color painting of the leopard staring at you on the cover.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored article from The Children’s Book Review and Karen B. Winnick. All thoughts, opinions, and recommendations remain our own.
When I went on safari, everyone kept talking about the “big 5” animals - the lion, the rhino, the elephant, the African buffalo, and the leopard. Seeing all 5 of these big mammals would be considered a very successful trip, especially considering that not everyone gets the chance to spot a lion (who’s probably sleeping somewhere), and even less people see a leopard (who are just extremely elusive). But on my trip, we literally spotted a beautiful leopard lounging in a tree in the last 10 minutes on our way out. Success!
I mention this only to point out that this picture book is very aptly titled. Can You Spot the Leopard? is the perfect way to begin the poem about this beautiful and notoriously-hard-to-find cat. It also happens to be my favorite illustration in the book - a very striking portrayal of the leopard on the prowl. It’s almost like he’s hunting you.
And I know what you’re probably thinking, but, despite the title of this book, it is not a seek and find. I’m not naming any names, but let’s just say someone spent several minutes staring at these illustrations trying to find the hidden leopards. And now I can say with a certain degree of confidence that there are in fact no hidden leopards. The title is simply taken from the leopard poem in the book.
And the book itself is a collection of these poems - one for just about every animal you can imagine seeing on an African safari. And you can flip around the book and enjoy them to your heart’s content, because the book isn’t so much a linear story as it is a collection.
There is a bit of organization from sunrise to sunset, like you’re going on an all-day safari, but that won’t stop you from flipping to your favorite animal and appreciating any of the paintings or poems you’d like. I will say, however, that the book ends in a brilliant way - staring up at a sky full of stars. One of the most memorable moments of my experience on safari in Africa was staring up at the sky at nighttime, and this struck me as the most perfect ending to a book that really gets it.
As far as the other paintings go, I’m very partial to the adorable meerkats lounging on their backs in the dirt. And to the beautiful family of elephants who get 4 full pages of love. My son has decided he is a cheetah man - and I suspect it might have something to do with the very cute baby cheetah poking its head above the grass.
Every single painting in this book strikes me as a work of art that might be printed on fine paper and sold in gift shops while you’re on safari. They are all special and feel like keepsakes to me - a collection of memories. In fact, it’d be a big mistake if they aren’t selling this picture book at Kruger National Park right now.
There’s a nice bit of bonus material in the back as well, which is always a very welcome addition as far as I’m concerned. It’s an index of all of the animals in the book - along with a full paragraph of interesting information about them for the animal lovers in your life. Let’s just say that if anyone you know needs to do a quick presentation on warthogs, dik-diks, or bushbucks, they’d be all set.
I like that this picture book was written by an animal lover. In fact, it’s the very first term used to describe Karen Winnick in her author bio. She also serves on several boards dedicated to the well-being of animals. And it definitely shows. Through her love, kids from all over will have their appreciation and their understanding of these animals grow much deeper. With a bit of luck, it might even lead to a lifetime of fighting for their conservation.
In some cases the book might be preaching to the choir - a beautiful celebration of animals for the already converted animal lover. But, in other cases, it might be a child’s very first exposure to these beautiful creatures - creatures that we’re very lucky to be able to share the earth with. And that effect can’t be underestimated.
Would you like a chance to win a copy of Can You Spot the Leopard?
Ten (10) winners will receive:
A signed copy of Can You Spot the Leopard?: An African Safari
Do you have any animal lovers in your house? If I didn’t warn you not too, do you think you would have started to look for a hidden leopard in every painting too? Let us know in the comments!
