Amazon.com Review
Award-winning country chanteuse Leann Rimes writes her first children's book
Jag, the story of a young jaguar who dreads her first day of school but learns to meet her fears head-on. She isn't afraid of meeting new friends ("Who needs that stuff?"), but she is deeply afraid of the swimming lessons she knows are inevitable: "Nothing frightened Jag more than the river. She preferred solid ground, which didn't shift and slip under her paws." Isabel, the wise parrot, warns Jag that if she doesn't learn to swim, she'll have to stand up to the ridicule of her peers as well as her fears. Sure enough, the trouble starts the first day of school when the jaguar cub announces her nickname Jag. "Who's next? Ow the Owl?" someone cries. It only gets worse at the river the next day during swimming lessons. But when one young jaguar named Simon with completely black fur (no spots!) shows up for class and is ridiculed for his appearance, Jag has to decide whether to revel in being part of the group du jour or to be kind to the newcomer. In the end, she not only befriends Simon, she releases such a huge roar for a tiny jaguar that her classmates tremble in their fur. Kids who are afraid of school, or troubled by the ways in which they are challenged by the group, may be inspired by this winning story of a small cat who takes on peers and fears with a growl and not a whimper. Illustrator Richard Bernal creates a soft, friendly, Disneyesque jungle where butterflies yawn and kittenish jaguars walk upright. (Ages 4 and older)
--Karin Snelson
About the Author
LeAnn Rimes started singing at the age of two and won her first talent competition at age five. At thirteen, she released her first multi-platinum CD, Blue. Since then she has gone on to break boundaries between country, pop, and contemporary Christian music with her award-winning recordings. She was the first country singer to win a Best New Artist Grammy and the youngest to win the Best Country Vocal Grammy. She made her motion-picture debut in Coyote Ugly and also recorded four songs for its soundtrack, including the hit single "Can't Fight the Moonlight."
Richard Bernal has won many awards for his work in advertising and television, including one from the Children's Television Workshop.
