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Who Would Win? #17

Jaguar vs. Skunk

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What would happen if a jaguar and a skunk met up and had a fight. Who do you think would win? Find out in the latest Who Would Win book. Appeals to Grades 1 – 3, reading level: GRL: P. Nonfiction.

32 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

53 people are currently reading
128 people want to read

About the author

Jerry Pallotta

245 books113 followers
My full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!

My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!

I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.

After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!

Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!

I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.

My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.

While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
27 reviews
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December 6, 2020
Book Title: Who Would Win? Jaguar vs Skunk
Author/Illustrator: Jerry Pallotta
Reading Level: LG
Book Level: 3.7

Book Summary: A book that provides a hypothetical situation in which a Jaguar fights a skunk. Highlighting the key strengths and weaknesses of the two animals to help the audience decide who would win.

Bookshelf Genre: Informational Book

Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits (explain one or two content integration ideas):

Ideas - This book has a clear theme, to help the audience create an opinion of who would win in a fight between a Jaguar and a Skunk. Each page highlights key evidence supporting the abilities of each animal

Organization - The beginning of the book entices the reader in with its hypothetical question. Each page is easy to follow and continues the arguments for each animal. The book ends with the writer’s conclusion of their key points throughout the book.

This book could be used within a classroom setting as a way to help students understand how they can provide evidence to back up an argument, and the importance of information and facts to help support things they write, say or do
Profile Image for Kelly.
487 reviews2 followers
January 6, 2019
Jerry Pallotta is a genius. Premise: Two animals beat the crap out of each other (in a not-too-gory way) and he throws in a bunch of science facts. The result is a little boy using words like “apex predator” or “invasive species” and “farting” in the same sentence.
We read one of The Who Would Win books in my house daily.
Spoiler alert: When a giant, fanged wildcat goes against a skunk... STINK WINS! (The most epic line in literary history) and my 6 and 7 year old collapse into each other’s arms laughing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jonathan.
123 reviews4 followers
November 9, 2017
Jaguars are the third biggest cat on the planet, but are they any match for the 12 pound stinker?!
Profile Image for Heather.
651 reviews16 followers
December 31, 2020
I didn't find any out-and-out errors in this one, so that's good.

Third book - is it always the second animal in the title who wins?
Profile Image for Corban Ford.
351 reviews13 followers
January 7, 2026
A fun, informative read that taught me a thing or two...I am definitely going to have to read more of this series! Perfect for juveniles!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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