The See-Through Leopard

After reading The See-Through Leopard, I can easily see why it is currently Amazon #1 Best Seller in Conservation of Endangered Species. This is a warm and uplifting love story .... love for a leopard, love for wild animals, love for the environment and ultimately love for oneself. It follows Jazz's journey or her SAFARI (loved how Sibel incorporated that word) of self-discovery. Jazz is scarred on the outside but she learns to heal and to love herself through a leopard she rescues who sees her ... who really and truly sees through her. And hence the inspiring title: The See-Through Leopard.Here is one of my favorite excerpts from the book:"Asha was my see-through leopard. She'd seen through the scars and the pain and the anger inside me and saw something she instinctively felt could be.As an animal lover myself, I can surely relate. Animals don't care about the superficial ... they don't care about how you look, they don't care about the color of your skin, the clothes you wear, or your sexual orientation. If you give them love, they love you back freely and openly, without discrimination. Something a lot of us can learn from. Something Jazz definitely learns in her journey.Sibel Hodge pulls you right into the story and I felt like I was in Africa. The mutilation of rhinos broke my heart ... not too long ago, I watched a TV show called Rhino Wars. It's about a group of guys who came together to try and stop the poaching of rhinos. And I commend SIbel Hodge for doing her part, for raising awareness of the plight of these beautiful wild animals. The only way we can hope to stop this cruel and senseless act of poaching and the illegal trade of wild animals is through education and awareness. And through The See-Through Leopard, Sibel has done just that by weaving a heart warming story that both adults and teens can enjoy.Jazz is a strong young woman, someone I hope my daughters can identify with and emulate. Even though my kids are are only 9 and 10, I'm going to have them read this book as I know they'll enjoy it. And I hope they learn a thing two from Jazz. She is a heroine who is just that awesome and cool!

This story just proves over and over what humans have to learn to live with in accordance to their lives being messed up with the things that we have to live with what can happen to any and all that experience trama with their lives. Plus that of the epesoides that of this earths wonderful animals and what happens to them. What they can't stop in the hard way some humans harmfully treat them, for what they want from the different animals out there, t make money or they consider to be helpful to us. God didn't make them for that purpose. We need to do what we can to help them to fight against any and all hardships that they are having to go through! They are here to look apon. Not to be here to die for us, for whatever reason. They have their own lives to live. Let them! Thanks for this great and moving story on this subject. I know that it wasn't a real story. But it was good to read how and what they are going through. Thanks it was very well done!

I have never read such a poignant and uplifting story about the powerful effects our relationships with wild animals and theirs with us can affect lives so positively. for years I have run my own dog and cat rescue center completely with my own funding, this story hit me so deeply I honestly read 80% of it with either tears flowing or at least a huge lump in my throat. It has been my lifelong but very unrealistic dream to have the opportunity to experience the same or similar situation as Jazz, trying to make a difference in one of the most critical areas of conservation there is,the plight of our endangered species be it Africa, Asia, the Amazon rainforests or right here in the U.S.and Canada. I am thankful though for the chance I have to do my own small part in my own meager way. This is getting a bit long winded so In closing that I will most likely read this book over and over 100,s of times

The YA label given to "The See-Through Leopard" is misleading. It is a story about growth and change, beautifully told. The protagonist is in her late teens, and thus by definition a young adult, but her journey from self-centered, damaged child to principled, accomplished young woman is traced with grace and conviction. Jazz, 16 as the story opens, has lost her mother and sustained severe facial scarring in the accident which took her mother's life. She is lost in a sea of guilt and self-pity until her father, a vet, takes a job at an animal rescue facility in Kenya. The story of Jazz's rebirth begins when she finds an orphaned leopard cub and raises her until she can be released back into the wild and give birth to a cub of her own. Along the way, Jazz finds love, courage, skills and the ability to look in the mirror and like what she sees.

From this best selling author, Sibel Hodge, comes another winning story. It is very inspirational about Jazz Hooper, a damaged 16-year old girl who has lost her mother in an auto accident. She herself has several facial scars and she goes into deep depression. Jazz narrates this story herself and you realize just how much she's been affected. Her dad makes a decision to move from England to a game reserve in Kenya. This offers Jazz the opportunity to rebuild herself, especially with an orphaned leopard cub. Animals can offer so much help to humans. This story is very moving and inspirational. A great novel for Young Adults as well as adults. Highly recommend.

Fantastic read! A great book about love and loss and the courage to go on and fight for what you believe in. The characters were very real and I wish there would be a sequel. It opened my eyes to the wild animal trade that is killing animals daily in astonishing numbers. We ,as a species, must realize we are all connected in a great big circle of life. GOD created humans and animals and when we kill off one species , it effects another. There are links to conservation efforts at the end and by purchasing this book , you are contributing to the cause as well. Thank you Sibel Hodge for being a voice for these animals and for writing such a great book

I absolutely loved this book and has got to be one of my favourites. I loved how the main character progressed and loved learning about the wildlife and I felt like I was actual!u there on that journey with Jazz. The topic is very emotional and I think Sibel does it justice by making the reader very aware of how toxic and cruel humans can be towards the wildlife and how we should all be equal living in this earth. I found myself getting emotional and really didn't want it to end. I couldn't fault it.

Amazing and inspirational coming-of-age story of sixteen-year-old Jazz who blames herself for the car accident that killed her mother and scarred her for life.I was gripped from the first page of this book and felt for Jazz and what she was going through so much. Not only was she grieving but she had lost all confidence in herself. Feeling totally lost and alone, she has to move to Kenya with her veterinarian father. Life is indeed grim for her and she feels that there is nothing to look forward to. But then she encounters a cute orphaned leopard cub and she begins to grow emotionally and spiritually and finds something to live for by looking after this cub until she is old enough to fend for herself in the wild.This book is wonderful in showing how animals have the power to heal a broken soul and I was at once captivated by the intense bond between Jazz and the cub Asha.I am a fan of the film Born Free and the TV series Wild at Heart and I was reminded of these as I read. Sibel Hodge vividly brings to life everything you would associate with Kenya and the wild. She doesn't gloss over anything but conveys the harsh reality of the life of wild and endangered animals really well.Everything about this story touched me and the horrific subject of poaching tore at my heart. I am an animal advocate so this angle in the story really interested me.Well done to Sibel Hodge for writing this book and raising awareness of the plight of African animals. Everyone should be made aware of this horror and by telling this wonderful story I am sure she will be able to reach many and they too will feel as sad and angry as I did at how cruel some humans really are, especially where money and greed are involved.An excellent novel and I would highly recommend it for animal lovers and those who enjoy a heartwarming tale of love, determination and the soul.Marie Symeou - author of  A Forever Home For AthenaA Forever Home For Athena

Jazz is a teenager whose problems began when her mum was killed in a car accident for which Jazz blames herself. She was also facially scarred and is naturally insecure about this and stubbornly on the defensive. Her dad takes her back to Kenya where he and her mum worked before she was born. She hates it and feels everyone is staring and judging her as a freak. Early on, she finds an orphan leopard and a bond between two motherless creatures is forged. It's through rearing the young leopard that Jazz finds her purpose and her life comes together. It's heartening to watch her surmount her personal problems to come to the aid of the wild creatures which are subjected to human greed and poaching.This Young Adult novel deals sensitively with issues of self-doubt and insecurity all piled on top of the all-purpose teenage angst we've all felt. The book's beautifully written, the characters are believable and I think it's a great read whatever your age. A proportion of the profits will go to Panthera and other charities dealing with wildlife crime.

This was a beautifully written story which was so believable it was hard to believe it wasn't actually a true story. It made me laugh, cry and sit on the edge of my seat with anticipation at times. A truly lovely book with characters that I wish I could number among my friends they were so lifelike, caring and compassionate. You really cared about them. I will be looking to see if Sibel Hodge has written any other books and can only hope that they are as good as this one was.

Through a teenage girl who is physically and mentally damaged, we learn about the terrible poaching in African wildlife reserves. She adopts a leopard who is motherless as she is; together they embark upon a journey of healing. She also wants the world to know about the awful suffering that's caused by cruel, ruthless poachers.