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

by Suzi Eszterhas

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Photography, Picture Books, Nature, Science

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2022

About the author

Wildlife photographer.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and cool photos of baby leopards and their mama. A while ago we were asking kids what their favorite animal was on school visits and a huge number said cheetahs. I know leopards aren't cheetahs, but I'm hoping this being in the big cat family and featuring adorable baby pictures will be enough to get kids asking about this one on school visits this year.

I learned a lot--including that leopards are arboreal and like to hang out in trees to spot predators (lions and wild dogs) and look out for prey. Interesting, and I think kids will find it fascinating, as well.

[Amy Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas, author of Moto and Me, returns with A Leopard Diary! Eszterhas specializes in photographing baby animals, and she jumped at the chance to photograph a female leopard and her two cubs in Botswana’s Jao Reserve. Here she's compiled her diary of the adventure, from the day she arrived at the Tubu Tree Camp through various return trips over the next two years. Her diary entries conversationally document the cubs’ development, accompanied by full-color photos and lively page spreads that showcase their journey from cubs to sub-adults. As in all of Eszterhas’s books, the photographs are the star of the show. Many include captions that further explain the scenes so skillfully captured by her camera. The author’s love of both her profession and the wildlife she photographs shines through on every page! Readers will come away from A Leopard Diary with a new understanding of these big cats and their “hidden” lives in the bush.

Thank you to Edelweiss for providing an advance digital review copy of A Leopard Diary.

[Jenny Lussier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A goal of mine, inspired by the amazing Melissa Stewart, is to read more children’s nonfiction and A Leopard Diary was a great choice! Suzi Eszterhas has filled this book with incredible photographs along with her text. Readers will appreciate her honesty - sometimes she didn’t find what she was looking for and had to wait - along with the kind of details you can’t find anywhere else. There is a sense of drama throughout, just as if you were on the safari with her. This would be an excellent addition to any library! Thank you to Netgalley and Owl Kids Books for the opportunity to read the eARC.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding nonfiction book for young readers by acclaimed photographer Suzi Eszterhas who is also a personal favorite of mine.

Eszterhas has always loved leopards so when she hears that a female leopard in the Jao Reserve in Botswana's vast Okavango Delta had given birth to two cubs, she hurried there to photograph the family. Aided by a skilled guide she located the mother and cubs and over the next 15 months took pictures and wrote about the events.

This female dubbed Mom was quite relaxed around humans and allowed them to get close although they always remained vigilant and in the jeep. Leopards move their dens frequently to protect the babies from lions, baboons and other predators so Eszterhas and Kam often had to re-locate the family which sometimes took many hours in the hot sun. But the result is a wonderful chronicle of a leopard family illustrated by rare and breath-taking photographs.

The text is clear and packed with interesting facts and the entire effort was a true adventure and makes an extremely compelling story. The photographs alone make this a worthy read as they are a beautiful look at a rarely seen event. The entire package is a must purchase and the cover alone will attract readers. Back matter includes an interview with the guide, Kampongo, a glossary and additional information.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is a world-renowned wildlife photographer - usually taking pictures of baby animals. Leopards are one of her favorite animals but they are very shy and secretive - so it is hard to take pictures of them in the wild. She was able to work with a wildlife preserve in Botswana to photograph one of the female leopards there with her two cubs. Suzi was able to visit the preserve on several occasions so she could record the babies growing from cubs to teenagers. She kept a diary of her experiences and had many amazing adventures with the leopards and other animals.
The book focuses on the leopards but also talks about other wildlife and the invaluable assistance of her guide, Kam.
If your kids love leopards, be sure to check this out! They will love the pictures and the stories.

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader will quickly note, the highlight of this book is its gorgeous photography. It is wonderful to see an intimate portrayal of wildlife we would only typically encounter in a zoo setting and builds a deeper appreciation for the natural world. There were lots of informative facts in this book that I think would be fascinating to kids an adults alike. Eszterhas did an excellent job of balancing the factual without making the content dry. This is perfect for a nature lover to read with their kids or as adds great content to a library's non-fiction collection. Wildlife books tend to do better than most with checkouts and this would be no exception.
I would 100% read more by this author! Respect for her for taking the time to go and obtain these photos.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzi Eszterhas takes readers with her and her guide Kam into the African bush to photograph a Leopard mom as she raises two cubs from little fluff balls to independent adults.

Suzi Eszterhas is not only a phenomenal photographer but also a splendid writer. She knows how to both educate and entertain child audiences with engaging and informative text that helps readers grow in their understanding of leopards and also wildlife photography and life in the African bush. Another winning nonfiction book for kids from Eszterhas!

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzi Eszterhas has done it again. The photographs are amazing and cute. Leopards and cubs, what could be cuter?

The photographs are just wonderful, as in all of Eszterhas' books. I love following her work, and this book is no exception. Kids will learn about leopards and be able to see them in the photos alongside the text. I highly recommend this and any other book by Suzi Eszterhas, one of my favorite wildlife photographers.

These are wild animals, not living in a zoo. Eszterhas is one of those photographers who actually goes out into the wild to obtain the photos, which makes them that more valuable.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful diary about an amazing experience! I found the book to be very engaging since it was done in a journal format (and I could see using it as a mentor text for a journaling experience with kids.) The pictures are of course what someone would be looking for when reading this book and they are marvelous. They are even made more fun by the photographer's enthusiasm in her writing and thinking about her view as you look at the pictures. This really is a wonderful nature book, journal book, animal book, and just great story.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow author, Suzi Eszterhas, as she chronicles her trips to observe a mama leopard and her cubs in diary form. This was an easy and personal read from the author's point of view. I sensed her excitement with each moment she spent following, waiting, and photographing the mama and her cubs.

Highly recommend, for an up close (both photography and candid writing/perspective) look on mama leopard and her cubs.

[Kelly]

This book is so engaging! I loved the pictures, and the diary format made for shorter text that was informative without being overly teach-y. I read the whole thing. I hope she writes more (ok, I looked her up and we're just lacking in Eszterhas books at our library), or even I would read an adult or YA version of this book. I'm sure she could add in more information that way.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrative nonfiction for older elementary readers in diary form. Wonderful photographs of a mother leopard and 2 cubs in their natural habitat in Botswana. The diary tells of the lives of the leopards, but also relates the work and experiences of the wildlife photographer who is observing them. An attractive and engaging book.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Photographer Suzi Eszterhas has a rare opportunity to capture leopard cubs in Botswana, and she documents it all. She does a good job showing how difficult, slow, and sometimes boring the job is just waiting to see the leopards. Also shows some of impala and other animals killed by the mom for food, so be warned.

[Brenda Kahn]

I am a fan of the author/ photographer and this is another interesting book. Terrific photos and succinct text.

[Melinda Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating pictures help to tell the story of a mother leopard and her young cubs as they live their life in the African safari.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for this beautifully photographed account of a leopard mother and her cubs

[LaLa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do think these books have too many words but we still enjoy the pictures and the real facts about what its like to follow these wild animals.

[Myla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very inspiring. The pictures are beautiful and the story is lovely.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love A Leopard Diary because there is a baby Leopard at the end. At the beginning the book the mama Leopard had two babies.

[Christi Schrodt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by this author. Great addition to our homeschool curriculum.