A Boy and a Jaguar
by Alan Rabinowitz
illustrations by Catia Chien
publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014
The boy could not speak. Well, he could not speak without stuttering, that is. Every time he tried to talk, words didn't flow out smoothly like it did for his friends, for his parents.
"If I try to push words out, my head and body shake uncontrollably."
That is, until he discovers that he has no problem talking to his favorite animal at the Bronx Zoo - a lonely female jaguar kept in a bare room.
The teachers at school put me in a class for disturbed children.
"He's not disturbed," my parents say.
Soon he learns to keep to himself, stay away from people who bully or tease him about his stuttering. He is quite happy to come home and go to his room straight and talk to his pets - a hamster, a gerbil, a green turtle, a chameleon, and a garter snake. Without stuttering.
Based on real-life story of the author, the book tells us about this brave conservationist who feels very much at home with animals and has taken it upon himself to speak for them.
[image source: http://hmhbooks.com/boyandajaguar/]
by Alan Rabinowitz
illustrations by Catia Chien
publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014
The boy could not speak. Well, he could not speak without stuttering, that is. Every time he tried to talk, words didn't flow out smoothly like it did for his friends, for his parents.
"If I try to push words out, my head and body shake uncontrollably."
That is, until he discovers that he has no problem talking to his favorite animal at the Bronx Zoo - a lonely female jaguar kept in a bare room.
The teachers at school put me in a class for disturbed children.
"He's not disturbed," my parents say.
Soon he learns to keep to himself, stay away from people who bully or tease him about his stuttering. He is quite happy to come home and go to his room straight and talk to his pets - a hamster, a gerbil, a green turtle, a chameleon, and a garter snake. Without stuttering.
Based on real-life story of the author, the book tells us about this brave conservationist who feels very much at home with animals and has taken it upon himself to speak for them.
[image source: http://hmhbooks.com/boyandajaguar/]
3 comments:
Solace in friendship. Books and animals make the kindest type.
Sounds like a wonderful book.
Sounds like a wonderful book.
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