Review - Little Cheetah's Shadow

Little Cheetah's Shadow
by Marianne Dubuc
Date: 2020
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Little Cheetah's shadow is missing. When Little Cheetah finds him and learns that Little Shadow is sad because he never gets to go first, Little Cheetah is happy to switch places. As they travel about their neighborhood, Little Cheetah is surprised to learn how hard it can be to follow. Eventually they decide that walking side-by-side is much better, and when they go through a scary tunnel on the way home, they discover they can face the dark together. Little Cheetah's Shadow is a sweet tale of friendship, empathy, and the importance of seeing things from a different perspective, rendered in Marianne Dubuc's warm and inviting illustrations.

(synopsis from NetGalley; see it on Goodreads)

This book has an interesting premise (although, it only works if you ignore how shadows operate).

Little Cheetah notices that his shadow is missing, and he finds Little Shadow in a tree, feeling sad. He never gets to go first, Little Shadow tells Little Cheetah. He never gets to decide where to go. And he often gets his tail caught in the door. So Little Cheetah lets Little Shadow take the lead, and for a few hours gets to experience life from his shadow's point of view.

Of course, shadows are dependent upon their light source, so science-minded kids might take issue with the overall premise. Still, it's kind of a cute story. And the illustrations are sweet.

I don't really see a reason not to recommend this one. I don't love it, but it's an interesting take on empathy that's smart in its subtlety.

Thank you to NetGalley and Princeton Architectural Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5