How can any animal be as photogenic as the cheetah? They are regal, yet elegant and I can easily imagine an Egyptian ruler sitting on an elaborately carved golden throne and reaching out to stroke his favorite pet cheetah.
I knew that cheetahs are the fastest land animals and that they can leap incredible distances. I DIDN'T know that they are bad climbers or that they are unable to roar. I was particularly interested in the information that the females are solitary, but the males live in groups. This is contrary to the living arrangements of most animals.
As Ms. Child points out, cheetah populations are endangered because of hunting and habitat loss. Ironically, successful projects to protect and increase lion populations have worked against the cheetah, since lions prey on young cheetahs. Hopefully, the growth of "eco-tourism" will prompt countries with cheetah populations to greater efforts to preserve them.
The pictures are wonderful and the text is entertaining and educational. Anyone of any age who loves animals, will like this book.