“Meerkat in Trouble” by Allan Trewin Jones, illustrated by Adrienne Kennaway. 1998. Koala Books. Picture Books. Ages 3-7.
Mali is a young meerkat who can’t wait to grow up. When Mali’s mother goes hunting with the group, Mali is assigned the role of babysitter to her siblings- a role that Mali dislikes. When the group has left for the hunt, Mali decides to venture out on her own. She leaves the pups in their burrow, unaware that they are tailing her.
Along the way, Mali encounters various creatures- lions, antelope, a tortoise and a scorpion. When she hears the pups’ squeals, she rushes to their side and saves them from a famished cobra. Relieved that the pups are unharmed, Mali decides to take them home, only to be met by laughing jackals, hungry for fresh meat.
This is a coming of age story about privilege and responsibility.
Some interesting facts about meerkats include the following:
· Meerkat adults teach the young pups the art of eating poisonous scorpions.
· Meerkats social activities include foot races.
· Meerkats are able to spot predatory birds as they look directly at the sun, thanks to the dark band round their eyes.
· Meerkats are natural mentors. Adult males mentor male pups and female adults mentor female pups.
These fascinating bits aren’t stated directly in the book, but hopefully they’ll goad you on to read the book and do further reading on these creatures.
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