A True Story, in which a Baby Hippo Loses his Mama During a Tsunami, but Finds a New Home, and a New Mama
by Jeanette Winter
Set during the devastating tsunami of 2004, Mama is the touching true story of a baby hippo that was separated from his mother when the wave hit.
After struggling alone for several days, a baby was rescued by Kenyan wildlife officers and brought to live in an animal refuge. There, all by himself, he adopted a new "mother"--that just happened to be a 130-year-old giant male tortoise. And they've been inseparable ever since. Although Mama takes place against the backdrop of a terrible human tragedy, at the heart of this story is a moving and original tale of adoption--and of finding love and companionship in the least likely of circumstances.
"Her dramatic images are reminiscent of Persian miniatures, the most harrowing experiences rendered exquisitely. In this case, the baby's face registers emotions not quite hippo-like (do hippos shed tears of sorrow?), but that seems beside the point in what will be a sentimental favorite sure to attract a huge audience." - Kirkus.
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Jeanette Winter is a celebrated picture book creator whose acclaimed works include Diego; Oil; and The Secret Project, all written by Jonah Winter, and her own Sisters: Venus Serena Williams; The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid; Nanuk the Ice Bear; Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan: Two Stories of Bravery; Henri's Scissors; Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia; Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan; and The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq.
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