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The Snow Leopard
From the beginning of time, high above the hidden valley, Snow Leopard has sung the stars to life, the sun to rise and the moon to wax and wane. She has woven words of protection to keep the hidden valley safe from the world and as she sings, a child lies dreaming the song down in the valley beneath. But time is passing, and Snow Leopard needs to find a singer who will follow her. But while she is searching, soldiers come looking for gold and slaves. Jackie Morris's poetic text weaves the spirit of nature into a universal myth for our time, drawing threads of transformation into a children's story glistening with wonder. Set against the stunning landscapes of the Himalayas, her superlative illustrations of the nearly-extinct Snow Leopard offer a message of hope at a time when many of the world's wildest places are being worn away by human beings.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2007
3 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Morris
113 books452 followersJackie Morris lives in a small house on the Welsh coast. She wanted to be an artist from the earliest she could remember. After studying art at Hereford and Bath Academy she went on to illustrate for magazines and newspapers. She began her first book for children the week after her first child, Thomas was born and has gone on to illustrate and write many books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 22, 2015
From the beginning of time, out of silence, Snow Leopard sang the stars to life, the sun to rise and the moon to wax and wane. High above the hidden valley, her song clothed the world in white and built a crackling fortress of snow, buttressed with ice, to keep all things safe and secret.
The main draw to this book is the absolutely gorgeous pictures by Jackie Morris. She will leave you breathless with her beautiful paintings.
The story is about a mystical snow leopard who eventually chooses a successor - a little girl - who at the end becomes a snow leopard and a magical protector as well.
Highlights include:
- The amazing pictures. http://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/7...
- A non-white MC. I don't know where this takes place. Mongolia? It looks like Mongolia to me. http://moontrug.com/wp-content/upload...
The language is in no way dumbed down for children, as you can see from my opening paragraph. This is good.
Some troubles come in the form of invaders.
Down in the valley the soldiers came, in search of gold and slaves. They came with fire and fear, and the villagers fled.
You can see the soldiers coming on their horses with their flaming arrows. It is very impressive, the art is wonderful. http://jackiemorris.co.uk/images/augu...
Don't worry, the snow leopard saves the village later by convincing the soldiers that the village is haunted by demons.
Tl;dr - A great winter book with stunning illustrations and a rather mythical, mystical bent to it. I'm not giving it five stars because I am not clear on some things. Where are the girl's parents? Were they killed by the invaders? Does anyone notice the girl is missing? Does the girl miss her family when she is taken away by the snow leopard and taught how to be a mystical protector? Too much is up in the air for me to be completely satisfied with this book.
Ages 0-7.
The main draw to this book is the absolutely gorgeous pictures by Jackie Morris. She will leave you breathless with her beautiful paintings.
The story is about a mystical snow leopard who eventually chooses a successor - a little girl - who at the end becomes a snow leopard and a magical protector as well.
Highlights include:
- The amazing pictures. http://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/7...
- A non-white MC. I don't know where this takes place. Mongolia? It looks like Mongolia to me. http://moontrug.com/wp-content/upload...
The language is in no way dumbed down for children, as you can see from my opening paragraph. This is good.
Some troubles come in the form of invaders.
Down in the valley the soldiers came, in search of gold and slaves. They came with fire and fear, and the villagers fled.
You can see the soldiers coming on their horses with their flaming arrows. It is very impressive, the art is wonderful. http://jackiemorris.co.uk/images/augu...
Don't worry, the snow leopard saves the village later by convincing the soldiers that the village is haunted by demons.
Tl;dr - A great winter book with stunning illustrations and a rather mythical, mystical bent to it. I'm not giving it five stars because I am not clear on some things. Where are the girl's parents? Were they killed by the invaders? Does anyone notice the girl is missing? Does the girl miss her family when she is taken away by the snow leopard and taught how to be a mystical protector? Too much is up in the air for me to be completely satisfied with this book.
Ages 0-7.
January 22, 2020
High in the Pamir mountains a guardian spirit or Mergichan, in the form of a snow leopard, watches over a remote and peaceful valley. She sings the stars to life, clothes the world in white, and builds walls of ice to protect the village in the valley. Growing old, she begins to search for a replacement, her song finding a young girl, and speaking to her in her dreams. When soldiers invade the village, the cat collects the young girl, and drives the interlopers away with dreams of demons. Teaching her new charge everything she needs to know, the snow leopard departs for the stars, leaving the girl transformed into a snow leopard herself - the new guardian of the valley...
The Snow Leopard is a beautiful book! It features a lovely, evocative text and gorgeous illustrations. "From the beginning of time, out of the silence, snow leopard sang the stars to life, the sun to rise and the moon to wax and wane. High above the hidden valley, her song clothed the world in white and built a crackling fortress of snow, buttressed with ice, to keep all things safe and secret." So the narrative begins, drawing the reader into a magical world from the very first word. The artwork is every bit as enchanting, capturing the beauty of its eponymous feline guardian, and of the harsh mountain world around her. The paler, muted shades used to depict the leopard and the mountainside contrast beautifully with the warmer colors of the human world.
All in all this was an outstanding picture-book, and might have gotten one of my rare five-star ratings, were it not for my one criticism. Although I do appreciate that Morris took the time to mention the idea of the Mergich realm in her brief foreword, and the idea of guardian spirits called Mergichan, I am at something of a loss to understand why she failed to specify that these are not her own creation - not a work of 'fantasy,' as I have seen this book labeled - but come from the traditional stories of the Wakhi people. This ethnic group lives in the Wakhan region of Central Asia, in Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and based on this one tantalizing glimpse of their beliefs, seem to have a fascinating traditional culture. I wish that there was more available to read about them. I also wish that Morris had given them credit, not for her story, but for the inspiration for it. Due to that omission, I subtracted a star from my rating. Leaving it aside, this is an outstanding book.
The Snow Leopard is a beautiful book! It features a lovely, evocative text and gorgeous illustrations. "From the beginning of time, out of the silence, snow leopard sang the stars to life, the sun to rise and the moon to wax and wane. High above the hidden valley, her song clothed the world in white and built a crackling fortress of snow, buttressed with ice, to keep all things safe and secret." So the narrative begins, drawing the reader into a magical world from the very first word. The artwork is every bit as enchanting, capturing the beauty of its eponymous feline guardian, and of the harsh mountain world around her. The paler, muted shades used to depict the leopard and the mountainside contrast beautifully with the warmer colors of the human world.
All in all this was an outstanding picture-book, and might have gotten one of my rare five-star ratings, were it not for my one criticism. Although I do appreciate that Morris took the time to mention the idea of the Mergich realm in her brief foreword, and the idea of guardian spirits called Mergichan, I am at something of a loss to understand why she failed to specify that these are not her own creation - not a work of 'fantasy,' as I have seen this book labeled - but come from the traditional stories of the Wakhi people. This ethnic group lives in the Wakhan region of Central Asia, in Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and based on this one tantalizing glimpse of their beliefs, seem to have a fascinating traditional culture. I wish that there was more available to read about them. I also wish that Morris had given them credit, not for her story, but for the inspiration for it. Due to that omission, I subtracted a star from my rating. Leaving it aside, this is an outstanding book.
October 13, 2022
Absolutely beautiful!
July 23, 2018
If all cultural borrowing / mashing up were as gentle and respectful as this, it'd be a lot less annoying. Also, Jackie Morris is a flipping amazing artist.
January 29, 2016
This book tells the story of a hidden valley deep in the Himalayas and the snow leopard that protects it. The snow leopard is growing old and needs to find a successor. Will she succeed?
As always with Jackie Morris, the pictures are stunningly beautiful. The story is good too, but isn't quite up to the level of the pictures.
As always with Jackie Morris, the pictures are stunningly beautiful. The story is good too, but isn't quite up to the level of the pictures.
May 30, 2012
A mysterious and sophisticated story of the mystical Himalayan Snow Leopard in search of it's human successor. Absolutely marvelous illustrations, beautiful in execution and breathtaking in imagery. Another example of a Caldecott Award snub.
December 13, 2018
Gorgeous illustrations and mystical prose weave a spell for the lucky child who picks up this picture book. Told as a fable, the Snow Leopard is a spirit animal that protects her part of the world until she finds a dreaming child.
March 7, 2019
I have just stumbled across this artist/author and am in LOVE with her art and her stories.
I found this a hauntingly sad story, but strangely uplifting, too. It is good to know the circle continues.
I found this a hauntingly sad story, but strangely uplifting, too. It is good to know the circle continues.
February 6, 2013
A stunningly illustrated fantasy.
November 20, 2016
A beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations with the feel of a mystical Himalayan folk tale
December 27, 2016
Gorgeous illustrations.
June 24, 2023
I've really enjoyed some of Jackie Morris's other works but I didn't gel with this one.
For me, the story was a bit weird. It starts with a complicated preface about the Mergich Realm which I don't think was needed, then moves into talking about how the snow leopard brought the worlds into being. The timing felt all out of sync to me in this story - the snow leopard is singing season after season yet the child is sleeping (and not aging) all this while? the snow leopard created the worlds yet she used to be human? she rescues the child and travels with her teaching her yet only a day has passed when they rescue the villagers?
I didn't love the water colour artwork of this one either, but each to their own!
For me, the story was a bit weird. It starts with a complicated preface about the Mergich Realm which I don't think was needed, then moves into talking about how the snow leopard brought the worlds into being. The timing felt all out of sync to me in this story - the snow leopard is singing season after season yet the child is sleeping (and not aging) all this while? the snow leopard created the worlds yet she used to be human? she rescues the child and travels with her teaching her yet only a day has passed when they rescue the villagers?
I didn't love the water colour artwork of this one either, but each to their own!
July 7, 2017
Such luxuriant imagery, tinged by sadness born not merely out of loneliness; a narrative of solitariness tinged by the careless ravages of man; the triste of the watchful, the caring.
But the gorgeous watercolours are not matched by the text, where poetry might have suited better.
But the gorgeous watercolours are not matched by the text, where poetry might have suited better.
October 31, 2018
This is a stunning, poetic, and spiritual oversized picture book. It's rich in mythology, inspiring me to read more about the mergichan. I could pore over these watercolor illustrations for days.
April 1, 2019
One of the most visually stunning books I've ever seen.
August 2, 2019
Beautiful, pensive book with amazing wildlife artwork.
December 31, 2020
Simply beautiful.
February 12, 2021
Absolutely beautiful. The illustrations are fantastic and the story is filled with magic and wonder. Very moving
March 15, 2021
Wow this made me cry
May 28, 2022
Captivating. Beautiful Illustrations.
October 5, 2022
A wonderful book! Snow Leopards are my favourite animal. Jackie Morris's illustrations are absolutely beautiful!
January 13, 2023
Wow. Amazing illustrations and a beautiful story written in lyrical poetry.
January 31, 2023
Most stunning art yet, I basically want to frame and hang it yet. The story was lovely but very short and simple, which was fine as the art was clearly the star of this one.
July 24, 2024
mergichan, mountain spirits sharing their power and knowledge of the natural environment.
October 7, 2025
Very striking artwork, but the story is very difficul to follow and I got bored...
December 6, 2025
3.5/5 Stars
August 8, 2011
A beautiful myth set against the backdrop of the Himalayan mountains...the lyrical text and story almost read like a lullaby. The illustrations are bold and beautiful. I loved the story that celebrates the animals and landscapes in this world that inspire and uplift and reminds us that as stewards as the earth, if do not protect what is around us, then we will lose what is precious and beautiful.
April 2, 2008
This is a wonderful, beautiful book for little kids, perhaps 3 to 5. It is set in a high, mountainous Asian land, so I'm guessing Nepal or Tibet? It is lovely in all ways, and I sent away for my own copy immediately upon finishing!
May 15, 2008
What a cover! Absolutely breathtaking, as is the backcover and inside art. The story, about a magical valley of special souls guarded over by a snow leopard spirit, is unfortunately weak - trying for nature-inspired myth and not quite reaching the mark.
September 11, 2025
Beautiful little jewel of a book, wonderful as a gift. I love the small versions of these; many adults would see receiving a large copy as being given a children's book, but are delighted by the small ones- a very clever idea
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews