The Snow Leopard

by Theresa Radcliffe, John Butler (Illustrator)

Dramatic full-color paintings by a distinguished wildlife artist accompany an informative study of one snow leopard, Sabu, who struggles to protect her young cub, Ka, from the many dangers that threaten his life.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[littlemiao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations of snow leopards in this book are so beautiful. The story is a little harrowing as the cub follows his mother in search of food, but (spoiler alert) everything turns out fine for both of them. Kittens will be entranced by the adventures of the little snow leopard, and they will also come away from this book feeling grateful for their full tummies and cozy homes.

[Andrew Nierenhausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book tells the story of a mother snow leopard and her cub trying to find food and shelter. This story has fairly sparse dialogue interspersed with breathtaking illustrations. As their journey continues there are many dark themes explored, like death and starvation. Though definitely a book for young children, it explores some very serious topics. It seems to me that this book is based off of the idea of a single mother navigating their child through obstacles in life to find a better existence. Once again I have to touch on the beauty of the illustrations, for they are truly what makes this book special. They show the snow leopards in such fine detail, how soft and feline they are. The landscapes too are beautifully done, often sparse and foreboding. This book left me feeling a little bit melancholy, but very much impressed. I owned this book as a child, and it made an impression on me then, but I didn’t really know why until I reexamined it as an adult.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving story; gorgeous illustrations