Book Review: Can You Spot the Leopard? An African Safari by Karen B. Winnick

Can You Spot the Leopard? An African Safari is a nonfiction picturebook written and illustrated  by Karen B. Winnick. It is an African safari presented through poems and full-color paintings. Readers begin at sunrise, climbing into a jeep for a bumpy ride to view the wondrous animals as they would on a real safari. All the poems are based on real observations of what animals do in the wild, related in an accessible way. There’s even a sighting, finally, of the elusive leopard, before returning to safari camp under a starry night. At the back of the book, further information is related about each animal.  A fun, informational, educational adventure to read and reread.
Can You Spot the Leopard? is a lovely and engaging read. I thought the artwork was very well done, and a perfect pairing to the text. The text had a nice flow and does a good job of capturing the animal life it focused on, and the terrain. I liked the speed and excitement changes, which keeps the readers engaged and interested. I think the animals covered were all the expected creatures, favorites and familiar to the target readers. I did really enjoy te information at the end of the book about all of the animals that make an appearance in the story. The only thing I might have liked added was some suggestions for further reading or perhaps zoo websites where young readers (with their adults of course) could learn more about a favorite animal and maybe see them in action or in photographs. 


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