Cheetah, Cheetah, Slow Down by Breanna Churchill

A Thoughtful Picture Book About Winning, Losing, and Growing with Kindness

We’ve recently reached the stage where every game suddenly became very serious. 😄 One minute we’re happily playing together, and the next I’m dodging a block flying across the room because someone didn’t win. Parenting definitely keeps you on your toes.

That’s exactly why Cheetah, Cheetah, Slow Down felt so relatable.

Cheetah loves to race and he really loves winning. But when he doesn’t come in first, frustration quickly takes over. With gentle guidance from Zebra, Ostrich, and especially the wise Lion, he begins to learn that kindness, humility, and encouraging others matter far more than crossing the finish line first.

Breanna Churchill shared that the idea for this story came after years of watching children struggle with both winning and losing. Sometimes there were tears after losing. Other times, winning brought pride instead of kindness. After much prayer, she felt called to write a story that would help families talk about both through a biblical perspective.

Whether your child is competitive during board games, sports, or everyday play, this book opens the door to conversations that many families eventually find themselves having. Because learning to lose gracefully is important, but learning to win with humility can be just as challenging.

I also appreciated the extra pages at the end of the book, which include Bible verses connected to the story’s message. They’re a thoughtful addition for families, homeschoolers, Sunday school classes, or anyone who wants to continue the conversation beyond the final page.

Why you need this book

• Opens conversations about winning and losing with empathy
• Encourages humility, kindness, and good sportsmanship
• Shares biblical values in a gentle, story-driven way
• Great for family game nights and young athletes
• Beautiful animal characters children will enjoy
• Includes Bible verses for deeper discussion

Try this at home

The next time you play a game together, ask everyone to compliment another player before talking about who won. It could be something as simple as, “I liked how you kept trying,” or “You were really encouraging.” It shifts the focus from winning to character and sometimes that’s the biggest victory of all.

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Cheetah, Cheetah, Slow Down is a warm reminder that the real prize isn’t finishing first. It’s becoming the kind of person others enjoy running beside.

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