Lindalouise’s debut picture book is a simple, kind fable about helping others, framed as a traditional story told by indigenous Brazilian elders. Lana the ocelot is eager to help all kinds of creatures in her Amazon rainforest home, including helping a toucan build a nest and howler monkeys find bananas; she holds fast to the conviction that “it’s the right thing to do” to “offer help whenever possible.” She gains friends among the animals who build homes close to her. Leo the jaguar, on the other hand, is selfish and exiles himself far from the others, who give him a wide berth. Leo sneers at Lana’s openheartedness and, when one of her kittens wanders off, he refuses to help her search. But soon Leo has a dangerous run-in with loggers, forcing him to question his rejection of past offers for help.

The human elements, indigenous storytellers and the loggers working in the forest, are only touched upon, with little commentary on the ecological effect of logging; the story focuses on the differences between selfish Leo and cooperative Lana. The friendliness towards all creatures from a carnivorous ocelot matches the softened reality of most traditional fables (though teaching her kittens to hunt is mentioned). Although the text pages, which superimpose small text over a pale illustration, can seem a little busy, the length seems ideal for reading aloud.

The plot is clear and easy to understand, and the illustrations are vibrant and playful, with a pen-and-watercolor effect, lightly anthropomorphizing the creatures while still maintaining a sense of realism. Young readers will enjoy this gentle call for selflessness.

Takeaway: This animal friendship tale and its simple lesson will be enjoyed by late preschool through early grade audiences.

Great for fans of: Aesop's fables, Laurie Keller's Do Unto Otters.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A