THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF CASPER THE CAT WHO GOT LOST IN AFRICA

Lost in Africa, a cat mediates a crisis between baboons and leopards.

Still searching for her lost family in this fourth installment of Ussi’s chapter-book series, Casper is living in a tree on the African savannah. One morning, Henry the baboon gives her a rude awakening. He introduces her to a number of his friends, including James the guinea fowl, Charlie the squirrel, and Henry’s own twin babies, Joshy and Michael, who are full of boundless energy—and everyone accepts Casper into their community with open arms. It isn’t long before Sammy the baboon appears, distraught because his niece Evelyn is missing. The animals quickly form a search party for the one-armed baby baboon, whose disability has led the other children to brand her as “different.” Locating Evelyn isn’t very difficult; the problem is that she is holding a baby leopard, “the sworn enemy of the baboons,” when they do. To Casper’s horror, the adult baboons and leopards immediately fall in line for a showdown to the death. Casper jumps in, desperate to prevent what she sees as an absurd escalation of a harmless situation. Can she put a stop to years of conflict, even though she is an outsider? Short but enticing, this chapter book for early readers is educational without being overbearing. The story will particularly appeal to children who love animals and parents who want their kids to learn to speak up when something is wrong. While it remains unclear how Casper got to Africa (as well as which part of it she is in), readers will have little trouble situating themselves in the story, whether or not they have read the previous installments in the series. Bose’s illustrations are bright and colorful, clearly depicting each species with larger-than-life expressions that help break up the narrative.

A somewhat dramatic addition to a series about animal conservation and social skills.