Looking for a children’s book about cheetahs?
Cheetah books are usually about speed. Sprinkles is a gentle, lonely cheetah in a party hat that’s too big, and his story is about the worry that nobody wants to be your friend.
It’s a good one for a child who’s new somewhere, or who has a party coming and has gone quiet about it. It shows the other side kindly too: the animals were only scared, and once they met him, they stayed.
Look inside
Flip through the opening, right up to the moment Kitty and Dino meet Sprinkles.
The true story behind it
This one came from a day I can’t forget. We took our son to a children’s orphanage to drop off gifts, and one little boy, about his age, had arrived that very morning. He sat alone, crying. My son went quiet, then walked over and handed him his own toy. Sprinkles is that boy: a cheetah who’s alone and just needs someone to show up. I wrote it for my son, and it reached him somewhere deep. It was the first story I ever wrote.
What happens in the story
Kitty and Dino find a note: “Party at Sunset Hill. No one will come. Need help. From Sprinkles.” They pack some cookies and go. On the hill they find Sprinkles, a young cheetah in a party hat that’s too big. It’s his birthday, he’s new here, and nobody is coming.
A gust of wind blows the decorations away, and Kitty’s wind brings every flag and hat back. Dino grows a ring of rainbow flowers. Still nobody comes, and Sprinkles finally says why: the animals here are scared of cheetahs. They think he might chase them.
So Dino grows flowers whose sweet smell drifts down the hill, and Kitty makes soft music with the wind in the leaves. A rabbit peeks out, then a family of mice, then two deer. Sprinkles asks softly, “Would you like to come to my birthday party? I won’t chase anyone.” Soon the party is full, and he calls it the best birthday ever.
Questions to ask after reading
A few questions for the minute after the book closes. There are no wrong answers.
- Why didn’t anyone come to Sprinkles’ party at first?
- How did Kitty and Dino help the shy animals feel brave enough to come?
- Have you ever been new somewhere? What helped you make a friend?
Perfect for
- ✓ The child who worries no one will come to their party
- ✓ A birthday gift that outlasts the plastic toys
- ✓ Bedtimes that need a calm, kind landing
- ✓ Teaching empathy gently, without the lecture
Quick answers
Give a kid the friend Sprinkles needed
One short story. One big-hearted lesson. Ready for tonight.
Buy the paperback →
or read it free tonight with Kindle Unlimited
Choosing a gift? See our Book Gifts guide for ages 3–8 →