How to High Tea with a Hyena (And Not Get Eaten)

How to High Tea with a Hyena (And Not Get Eaten), the second title in the “A Polite Predators Book” series, the first being How to Promenade with a Python (And Not Get Eaten), repeats the clever presentation of facts about an animal using a zany, comic style, story approach. This time, the cockroach guide, Celeste, narrates how to hold a social occasion with a spotted hyena, Ruby. Since the premise is how to survive this not-so-wise encounter, who best to lead the way than a consummate survivor of 300 million years, a cockroach?

After introductions of herself, “you” the reader (pictured as a young girl), and Ruby, chapters offer details about hyenas intermingled with the storyline: the four hyena species that live in Africa, appropriate dress and behaviour at high tea (none of which Ruby achieves), ways to serve the food without becoming the food—while learning that hyenas do not only eat dead things, may hunt solo or in a group, they are fast at eating and chasing, have an excellent sense of smell, and powerful jaws, among other facts. Hyena skills, shown with action-packed illustrations, feed the suspense about the girl’s and Celeste’s escape which builds until they find a suitable hiding place, leaving the hyenas to their feast. The final double-spread illustration needs no words: hyenas are making the most of their high tea.

Snappy, kid-friendly portions of text (upper case frequently used for emphasis) supported with generous illustrations drive the pace of this book. It’s best as a read-together, rather than read-aloud, to enjoy the boldly coloured, animated, pencil crayon drawings. Readers will get caught up in the fun without even realizing how much they are learning about this predator (and about high tea, as well). We even find out about all the sounds hyenas make, from rumbles to giggles (hence their sometimes name, laughing hyenas).

The topic will attract the 7-10 year readership. Although Ruby’s tea host is a girl (did that make it easier to describe a “polite and proper” tea dress?), and Ruby is also female, there’s plenty in How to High Tea with a Hyena (And Not Get Eaten) to interest boys too. For fans of humor, the easy-to-read comic book design, as well as the animal world, this series offers an appealing presentation.