Mugambi's Journey

Children's Literature

Mugambi is a cheetah cub in Africa and the central character in a wildlife picture storybook. This is a non-sentimental story approach to an information book for young children. Without anthropomorphizing, the author shows readers how vulnerable and skillful a mother cheetah can be when protecting her young from predators. Other African animals are introduced briefly and simply as appropriate story background. A young warthog makes an appearance, creating a parallel story of animal families. The story maintains its tension with another lion threat at the end of the story, but the ending is satisfactory. The spare text is matched with excellent full-page paintings. A range of brown tones of animals and landscape is contrasted with shades of blue sky. The action and look of the animals convey the same realism of the text. The end papers mimic the cheetah's coat. A page of useful "Cheetah Facts" begins the book. The jacket blurb is in error and should not be considered as an accurate synopsis of the book's story. Mugambi does not lead his sisters in a search for their mother. Read this book aloud to kindergarten children and young primary grade students for a nature study lesson. It won't sound as if you're reading from a textbook. 2005, Gingham Dog Press/School Specialty Children's Publishing, Ages 5 to 9.
—Jacki Vawter, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-A cheetah cub snuggles with his sisters in their mother's fur, seeking comfort and safety during a storm. In the morning, their mother takes them on a journey; she has picked up the scent of lions, which have already devoured two of her cubs. Adventure awaits as the big cats cross the Serengeti Plain. The mother is separated from her offspring when she attempts to drive two hunting lionesses away from them. Children will sense the imminent danger as the young cheetahs find themselves alone at nightfall. Mugambi stands watch, and when he hears a sound, he bares his teeth. But all is well, for "Breaking through the grass was the shadowy, yet familiar figure of their mother." The tale is sure to spark youngsters' curiosity, making the facts at the end very useful. The brown, blue, and gray savanna colors used in the realistic illustrations breathe life into the story.-Tracy Bell, Durham Public Schools, NC Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Mother cheetah has decided that she and her cubs, Mugambi, Magara, and Mugesi, must leave their den; threatening lions approach, their warning scent carried to the cheetahs on a stormy breeze. This is the story of a journey to a new home, one that takes the reader across grassy fields and sere plains, ever-watchful for the predators who seek to separate and prey upon the cheetah family. It's too bad that Clapsaddle's watercolor paintings do not reflect the drama or the motion of the brief text. Conversely, Becker does not take the opportunity to explain, for example, that one of the functions of the odd-looking, unusual, and distinctive long grey mantle fur pictured on the cubs is to conceal them in the tall grasses of the savanna. Eleven simple "Cheetah Facts" conclude this effort; many more engaging treatments are available. (Picture book. 5-8)