Review by Booklist Review
In the Himalayan mountains lives a rare big cat: the snow leopard, which people of the region call the gray ghost. Anderson, a zoologist who led a BBC crew filming snow leopards, tells of a man and his guide who search for a snow leopard, find one, and follow her for a day. Writing in first person, he describes how her coat disguises her in the landscape, how her large paws allow her to walk on deep snow, and how her thick fur protects her in icy conditions. The focus shifts to her cub, who is still learning how to hunt and survive on her own. While the main text carries the narrative and describes the animals, a smaller-type text and an appended note offer additional information. The first-person, present-tense writing gives immediacy to the story, which gives readers the vicarious experience of joining a rewarding expedition. With strong portrayals of the leopards within their impressive surroundings, Benson's watercolor illustrations capture the animals' dignity as well as their mystery. A handsome picture book for young animal-lovers.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Anderson, a zoologist and filmmaker, frames a captivating and effective introduction to snow leopards as an adventurer's firsthand observations of the elusive animal in its Himalayan habitat. Benson's detailed, precise watercolors--stone-hued, like their subject and its habitat and prey--are complemented by well-chosen words: "Her coat is pale gold and silver-grey, with black rosettes... the rosettes look like the shadows under stones and boulders... allowing her to disappear into the landscape." Captions, set in a different typeface and placed lower on the page, offer additional facts: "Snow leopards can wander over an area of up to almost 400 square miles." Further information about the rare animal, the threats it faces, and ways to help are presented alongside an index at the book's close. Ages 5--8. (Oct.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Author and zoologist Anderson tracks a snow leopard family in Ladakh, Kashmir. Considering that conservationists have deemed the animal vulnerable, it's extraordinary that the author found both a mother and her cub. The expedition was more complicated than revealed here, as the illustrator shows only one guide when in fact there were several and Anderson also led a team of Planet Earth photographers. Benson's soft watercolors and Anderson's clear prose reveal the "Ghosts of the Mountains," named because of their elusiveness. The chronicle of the trek is interspersed with facts on snow leopard habitat, behavior, physical features, and diet. However, the font makes reading this information difficult. VERDICT This quick introduction covers the challenges the snow leopard faces and its conservation status.--Nancy Call, formerly at Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Large snow leopard tracks on the endpapers lead readers to join the narrator on a Himalayan trek in hopes of spotting this elusive animal of the mountains. After two page-turns, readers do indeed see the snow leopard-first as a solitary animal, with features such as her coat, paws, and behaviors noted (marking her trail or hunting for ibex, for example). Her cub joins her, and the narrator describes the early lives of young snow leopards. Soft watercolors, predominantly in shades of tan and white, underscore the animal's natural camouflage and the stark mountainous setting. Throughout the narrative, small informational sentences, set off from the main text in a casual font, add facts such as the snow leopard's distinctive yellow eye color and the advantages of the creature's outsized tail and fur-soled paws. A stunning closing double-page spread depicts the snow leopard on a craggy bluff with a golden sunset behind her. Appended with an author's note discussing conservation efforts for this threatened species and its reduced habitat; an index; and two sources for further inquiry. Betty Carter November/December 2019 p.105(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Following the trail of a beautiful, elusive animal.Narrating in the first person, Anderson leads readers on a trek through the Himalayas to seek out the snow leopard, which villagers call the "gray ghost." The journey turns suspenseful as the slopes become steeper and more icily treacherous. The narrator describes his feelings of awe upon first encountering tracks in the snow. Then, to his utter astonishment, he actually sees the magnificent creature. Readers will also marvel as she stares out from the page. Thanks to the author's proximity to this leopard, readers also get to witness her unsuccessful hunt for ibex and her reunion, further along the trail, with her young cub; a charming spread shows mother and offspring snuggled together. The main narrative, jam-packed with interesting facts about the leopard, is expressed in a clear, conversational manner and presented in large type; text in a smaller faux hand-lettered type provides additional information. Benson's endearing watercolor illustrations capture the leopard's furry, pale, gold-and-gray coat, with the black rosettes that offer excellent camouflage in her mountainous habitat. (They depict the author as white as he moves through the Ladakh village with his local guide.) The narrator marvels at his luck to see two snow leopards; readers will feel fortunate to have followed along.An informative, gentle, awestruck look at a mysterious big cat. (author's note, index, websites) (Informational picture book. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
