This story was informative for children in picture book form. It helps also to give little to something that we might talk about in today's world a lot of the time.

This story is told through the eyes of an explorer searching to find the snow leopard. Fun facts are presented through this picture book such as this cat has the longest tale in the cat family and that the cubs are still with their mothers after 2 years learning how to hunt. Various other facts that correlate with the story are included in the story. These facts are written in different fonts. This reminded me of an explore writing in their journal although I am not sure that was the intention. The watercolor illustrations are stunning. The muted and misty illustrations play well with of the snow leopard as the gray ghost.

The book contains "more about snow leopards" in the back of the book. This section talks about the human population threat to snow leopards and conservation efforts. Websites are also given for further exploration.
Audience: Advanced early reader ( )

Periodically, Candlewick releases gorgeous natural science picture books. Some of the original British editions are labeled "Nature Storybooks" but I've never found a complete list of them. I wish they'd label them as a series so I could make sure I had them all! The latest book features a favorite animal of mine (and many others), the rare and beautiful snow leopard.

Justin Anderson, a zoologist and filmmaker, tells the story of his experiences researching snow leopards in the Himalayas, combining months spent filming in the mountains into a beautifully written story. Joining a local guide, he travels into the mountains and is stunned to see a snow leopard, gazing peacefully back at him out of the landscape. They follow her on a hunt, see her reuniting with her almost-grown cubs, and finally have one last glimpse of her, standing alone on a peak and yowling into the sunset.

Like other books in the series, there are more facts set into the illustrations in most pages and an author's afterword that expands on the nonfiction elements, in this case talking about the conservation of the snow leopards. There is also a brief index and two websites.

Benson, illustrator of the beloved classic Owl Babies covers the pages in soft, dusty browns and grays, the golden-eyed snow leopard peering out boldly at the reader. Her luxurious fur glows with the light off the mountains and she's clearly an integral part of her harsh environment.

Verdict: This beautiful picture book introduces the harsh beauty of the Himalayas and the snow leopard that makes its home there in simple but lovely prose. A must-have for your nonfiction picture book collections.

ISBN: 9781536205404; This edition published October 2019 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library