The Cheetah and The Dog was inspired by the true story of Kasi, an orphaned male cheetah, and Mtani, a female labrador. They formed an extraordinary bond and became friends for life.

Set in the wild plains of Africa, Kasi the cheetah, and Mtani the dog live a life of happiness. They play together, hunt together, and do all they can together. One day Mtani detects human hunters and warns Kasi and the cheetah clan. They flee and are grateful to their friend, Mtani. The cheetahs later return the favour when two lionesses trap Mtani. The cheetahs save her life.

The moral of the story is that no matter your colour or creed, friends come in different forms and help each other. They are there for one another no matter what.

The story is set in a rhyme format. The rhythm of it flows well and makes the story more enjoyable and fun for children. It helps the words and the meaning of the story easy for children to remember too.

The illustrations are beautiful. They are vibrant and portray the animals and their surroundings perfectly.

My three year old daughter enjoyed this book very much. She loved pointing out what was happening in the illustrations. She also took on board the morals in the story.

Patricia Furstenberg gets the message across that friendships should have no barriers. Differences don’t matter. It is the person or animal inside, and the love and support of friends that count. Animals can become friends despite their diversity – humans can too.

I’m all for teaching children what is important, and doing so in a fun way. This book does it to perfection.

About the Author

Patricia Furstenberg came to writing though reading, her passion for books being something she inherited from her parents. She usually writes at her kitchen table, early morning while the kettle hums or in her car, while she waits for her children to come out from school. “When I write, I write,” she usually says. When she’s not writing she likes to read, listen to music, dance and bake.

One of the characters portrayed in her children stories is Pete, the yellow toy elephant. Not many know, but Pete exists and lives in Pat’s home.

This Romanian born writer is living happily with her husband, children and dogs in sunny South Africa.