Nonfiction Monday

CHEETAH DREAMS by Linda Stanek with illustrations by Shennen Bersani introduces young readers to the remarkable life and habitat of cheetahs through the use of a smart, innovative text that combines lyrical storytelling with factual sidebars. 

Beautifully illustrated double-page spreads pull the two distinct styles together with visually stunning detail.

Cheetahs are one of the most endangered cats in Africa due to loss of habitat and competition from both wild predators and humans. CHEETAH DREAMS imagines a world in which cheetahs survive because readers become better informed about the challenges these remarkable cats face and come to appreciate their unique qualities.

The text does an excellent job of providing information about the way in which cheetahs live and the many adaptations that distinguish cheetahs from the other big cats. Cleat-like feet, tear-marked faces together with exceptionally large hearts and lungs enable cheetahs to hunt prey at speeds unequaled by predators such as lions or leopards.

The book concludes with a section titled FOR CREATIVE MINDS which provides teaching materials. Cheetah’s and the Big Cat Cousins is a compare and contrast activity. Cheetah Conservation offers maps and text for a more in-depth look at the issue of cheetah survival. Cheetah Adaptations combines text and pictures to build on earlier information. A final section, Purr or Roar, examines how and why cats are unable to do both.

Recommended as an excellent STEM resource for both home and school libraries.