The chubby Cheetah 57 wants so badly to be as muscular as all the other cheetahs in the zoo. “If you don’t look fierce enough, you would be killed to make bags or rugs,” say his strong companions. Scared and ashamed, Cheetah 57 digs himself a hole to hide in, but he never expects just how far it will take him.
Cheetah 57 lives in a zoo. He always feels bad because he looks so different from all the other cheetahs. They warn him, “Humans like cheetahs that look fierce. If you don’t look that way, they’ll turn you into a scarf.…”
Afraid of seeming different, Cheetah 57 tries his best to imitate others but it is all in vain. He decides to dig a hole to hide in, but he goes too far, and the hole ends up leading him out of the zoo.
Everyone wants to fit in, but our differences will always stand in the way. This picture book explores how it feels to be different, and how to embrace your differences and make the best of them. The cartoonish lines and neutral colors of the illustrations invite young readers to engage their imaginations in this story of a chubby little cheetah who breaks stereotypes.
