Jaguar

Set in Venezuela, north of the great Orinoco river, this picture book is strongly illustrated in a painterly style and sensitively written. Like others by Cowcher, the conservation theme is strong. The pictures convey a sense of urgency, and the reader is led on page by page as the tale of the hunting down of the killer jaguar is told. The fact file at the end informs us that the jaguar is top of the food chain in this part of the world, and its jaw is so powerful it can bite through the armour-plated shell of a turtle. These facts add to a story memorable not only for its surprising, mystical ending.