Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers' Favorite

The Cheeky Capybara is a children’s picture book written by Kateryna Dronova with illustrations by Dara Karei. It is the story of Tito—a capybara with a big personality and an even bigger ego. He struts around the marshes and green meadows, convinced he’s better than everyone else, while the other animals hang back, a little shy and careful. Tito spends time looking at his reflection in the water, admiring himself and prancing around the meadow, calling himself the king of the swamp. One day, a crocodile enters the swamp, causing the animals in the water to run away in fear. Unfortunately, Tito decides to show the crocodile that he is king of the swamp when it ignores him. Even though Beto the heron warns him, Tito just can’t help himself—he taunts the crocodile anyway. Things get out of hand, and Tito ends up learning a tough and pretty scary lesson about listening to good advice.

The Cheeky Capybara is an entertaining story packed with lessons for kids about not getting too full of yourself and actually paying attention when someone’s looking out for you. Tito’s pride was too much, and it almost cost him his life. I love that he had Beto as a friend because she was wise and honest with him. I hope young readers learn from both these characters. Kateryna Dronova is an engaging storyteller because she uses humor and a conversational tone, with relatable characters and situations that will spark children's imaginations. She perfectly captures Tito's mischievous personality and antics. The illustrations complement the story and give readers a visual understanding of the swamp and the diverse animal characters. The pictures are very colorful, and the design on each page is different, fitting well with the meadow theme featuring creepers and hanging branches. I had a great time reading and think it is worth sharing with your kids because it is a fun way to talk about humility, friendship, and knowing when to be careful.