Independent Reading Level: Grade 3

This fable takes place in Africa. In the beginning, all animals were friends. The leopard was the king of all animals and didn't have big pointy teeth nor claws. After he is attacked and ousted by the Dog, the Jaguar runs to seek help and receives his fangs, claws and the voice of thunder. He returns and kicks out of the shelter everyone had built in his years as king and the Dog runs away to become the slave/pet of a hunter. I love hearing fables and folktales from other cultures. In Guatemala, the Jaguar is very important for Mayan culture. every person in Mayan culture has a Nahual or guardian spirit, and all warriors would wear leopard skins to camouflage in the rainforest of Peten.
I found it really interesting how in this story, the antagonist was the dog.

This is the first time I see Mary Grandpre illustrate animals. she gives so much personality to her characters. I love how she uses eyes and eyebrows to really create a realistic human-like facial expression. even if there was no text in the book, you could definitely know what is going on through how she has made this book. ( )

because of GR Amy's review, in which she expresses mixed feelings, and because of Candlewick Press, in which I have faith...

Leopard learns to stand up for himself. Nigerian folktale, nicely told. ( )

A compelling animal fable with powerful political sub-texts from a post-Colonial perspective. ( )