Big Cats, by Nic Bishop. Scholastic. 2019. $23.99 ages 8 and up

"Leopards are expert climbers and strong enough to haul their prey up a tree using just their mouths. There they can eat in safety. Leopards are very widespread and also adaptable to different environments. They live in Africa and parts of Asia as far north as Siberia. They hunt in forests, grasslands, dry scrublands, and even in some cities. Some have black fur ... "

I am always on the lookout for books that have any association with Nic Bishop. He is the most excellent wildlife photographer. I know that I have posted other books in this series: Spiders, Frogs, Butterflies and Moths, Marsupials, Lizards and Snakes. Checking for his work, and seeing the lengths he goes to in order to get the photos that he does is a most interesting and informative pursuit. Kids love these books, and can be heard oohing and aahing over each and every page. So, they will be thrilled to see a new one if they have had access to the others.

Who doesn't love big cats, or their little ones?

The majestic power of a male lion invites us in, and the next image we see is a charming shot of a very young and adorable cheetah cub. Readers will want to reach out and stroke the soft fur and wax lyrical about how 'cute' it is. What follows is a glorious look at the big cats: 'tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, snow leopards, and clouded leopards'. Pumas and cheetahs are also included.

Each double page spread offers a glorious, captioned photograph of a particular cat in its own environment. The design is eye-catching and provides welcome information about these big cats. On each spread, one line is in bold font and is accompanied by other accessible and conversational text.

"They may walk for miles between sunset and
sunrise, patrolling a home range in which they
know every trail, resting place, and feeding
ground of their prey. Often they prowl near
waterholes and other places where prey gathers,
waiting for an opportunity to strike."

Their similarities and differences are exposed. Details concerning their hunting methods, power, birthing, protection of territory, and prey are shared. I learned a bit about the cloud leopard, new to me and fascinating. It encouraged me to find out more. At the end of the book, Nic Bishop shares stories related to photographs for his book. Not all were found in the wild because of the difficulty in ever seeing them ... it is often an impossible task. These stories are short, lovely, scary and even sad.

For more information, please take time to check https://www.nicbishop.com/