From Amazon: A perfect gift, a story books for 4-8 years old boys and girls, a wonderful bedtime story for kids, a fun read for grandparents. “The Cheetah and the Dog by Patricia Furstenberg, like her other animal story books, is inspired by the real life story of Kasi the cheetah and Mtani the Labrador dog and their friendship. The story gives insight on the importance of friendship. Kasi and Mtani meet by accident one hot day on Africa’s wild plains. Though they both looked different, they liked to chase each other and hide in the dust. One day while playing, they see a rabbit and they decide to run after the rabbit. Later they realize hunting can become boring and it is best to play and explore. The author discusses the topic of friendship through this story, and tells readers how friendship can be fun and it is not about color, race, caste, and creed.

My Review: I found this illustrated children’s book delightful. One would never imagine a cheetah and a dog being friends, yet they were. They played together and lived near each other. I thought the act of helping friends avoid danger was excellent. As the story unfolds, children learn about many different animals in Africa in nice rhyming manner. Children are made aware of how some animal species are endangered. Five stars.