Animals

This book is good for grades 3rd-up, it was a sweet book with a lot more words. This book was a story about a hippo and a turtle, they are very good friends, and this book follows alongside their story of friendship. I would use this in a classroom as a fun read for students, or if there was an animal unit this book would be great, or an upcoming field trip to the zoo to introduce some animal stories. ( )

Jenny, age 10, takes on work like driving the mail wagon when her brother goes to the Civil War.

The inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130 year old giant tortoise named Mzee (Mm-ZAY).

I never thought hippos were interesting until I read this book. Having read MAMA by Jeanette Winter and then reading this book I felt like I was left out with a lot of important details. With this book I felt like I was right there with Owen the entire time. I was scared with him, lost, confused, frustrated. To think about a baby being alone, separated from his mother, trapped in nets and surrounded by strangers in an unknown place is horrible. The primary sources (pictures) from this situation added another level of emotions. I felt like the backstory of the tortoise was interesting too, especially how he was so used to be by himself and normally not nice to others. The bond and friendship that was formed between these two is a reminder of how even after a lost their is still hope in the most unimaginable places. This was such an amazing story, after reading this to a class I would love to actually visit the sanctuary to see Owen and Mzee. ( )