Zoe’s Rescue Zoo 6 – The Lucky Snow Leopard

Amelia Cobb's The Lucky Snow Leopard, the sixth Zoe's Rescue Zoo book, is a Christmas animal story for 5 year olds about a snow leopard cub who isn't at all sure about becoming a big brother.

What happens

Zoe lives in a cottage inside the Rescue Zoo, where her mum is the vet. She has a secret. She can understand every squeak and roar the animals make, and she can talk back. Her best friend is Meep, a tiny mouse lemur who's already eaten two mince pies when the story starts.

It's nearly Christmas. There's a giant tree to decorate, a new ice rink next to the penguins and a brand-new enclosure that nobody knows the purpose of. Then Great-Uncle Horace comes home on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, looking a lot like Santa, with a crate from Mongolia.

Inside are Lila, a beautiful snow leopard, and her little cub, Ali. They've had a frightening time and Lila doesn't trust people at all. But Ali soon wants to play with Zoe, and she has to explain Christmas to him from scratch. (He's quite worried that Santa Claus has claws.)

Then Zoe's mum finds out why Lila is so sleepy. She's going to have babies! Everyone at the zoo is thrilled. Everyone except Ali, who buries his face in his paws and just wants his mum to himself.

It's such a gentle, cosy read. It's full of snow and fairy lights and silly moments, like Zoe learning to skate by copying a baby penguin. Even grumpy Mr Pinch, the zoo manager who can't stand tinsel, gets invited round for Christmas dinner.

It's a really lovely one if there's a new baby on the way in your house. Ali's feelings are completely real. He sulks, he pounces on his sleeping mum to make her play, and he doesn't even want presents. Zoe is patient and kind with him, and your reader might see a bit of themselves in both of them.

What to read next

If this one goes down well, the very first Rescue Zoo book is where Zoe discovers her secret on her sixth birthday and promises to look after a frightened little lion cub.