CHEETAH MATH

Nagda once again illustrates the many uses of mathematics in the real world in her latest zoo title. This is the story of Majani and his sister, Kubali, cheetah cubs who were hand-raised after their mother’s illness. Readers will be fascinated to learn about the cubs’ training as animal ambassadors for the zoo. The tale largely follows the cheetahs and their growing friendships with their dog buddies, pairings meant to help the cheetahs stay calm around park visitors. Young children will easily be drawn to the two cubs, as Nagda brings their distinct personalities to life, both through the text and accompanying photographs. Following the same successful format as her four earlier titles in the series, the right-hand pages tell the story of the baby cheetahs, while the left-hand pages introduce readers to the vocabulary and concepts of division, using graphs and unit representations to illustrate math problems. Several methods are taught, and while the explanations are accurate, many will require an adult to walk the child through it. A great addition to both the math and wild-animal conservation bookshelves. (Nonfiction. 7-10)