Helping Species Survive

The Great Giraffe Rescue: Saving the Nubian Giraffes 

by Sandra Markle

40 pages; ages 9-12

Millbrook Press, 2023

Didn’t we just talk about giraffes a couple of weeks ago? Ah, yes – but those were math giraffes, and these are Nubian giraffes. And they have a problem. “People,” says Sandra Markle, “were destroying giraffe habitats as they dug into the land for its natural resources or cleared it for farms, roads, and homes.” Add to that the threats from oil drilling – well, you can see why giraffes might need a bit of help. 

When oil drillers laid out plans to begin drilling in one part of Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park, wildlife scientists knew they had to move giraffes to another part of the park to preserve the population. There was only one small problem: to get to the other part of the park required crossing a river, and there was no bridge.

What I like about this book: I like how Sandra Markle sets up the problem (how do you move a herd of giraffes) and then shows how wildlife scientists solved it. Along the way she includes a lesson on giraffe biology, “Nubian Giraffe 101” and plenty of sidebars. Readers learn how interconnected giraffes are with the trees and savanna. The illustrations make you feel like you’re right there in the field with the wildlife scientists and conservation workers.

Raising Don: The True Story of a Spunky Baby Tapir 

by Georgeanne Irvine 

36 pages; ages 8-12

‎San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press, 2022

When a baby tapir is born, everyone at the zoo is excited – except his mom. She wants nothing to do with him. A first-time mother, maybe she was surprised by his birth? wondered the animal caretakers. So they snuggled and fed the cute spotty and striped baby and named him Don.

But how can people teach a young tapir what he needs to know to survive? For one thing, tapirs learn to swim from their moms. Don’s humans got him started in swimming lessons by enticing him into a kiddie’s wading pool. They slowly introduced him to new animals. And bit by bit, Don began to learn the ways of his species.

What I like about this book: I like the honesty about what’s involved in raising a zoo baby by hand. And author, Georgeanne Irvine shares the inside scoop, as she has worked at the San Diego Zoo. I also like that backmatter highlights things families can do to help wildlife.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Growing Up Gorilla ~ Blog Tour Stop

Growing Up Gorilla
by Clare Hodgson Meeker
48 pages; ages 8-12
Millbrook Press, 2019

The subtitle says it all; this is a book about “how a zoo baby brought her family together.”  As the book opens, we meet Nadiri, a 19-year old gorilla preparing to give birth. She’s gathered a thick nest of hay around her, but when her baby is born she has no idea of how to respond and care for a tiny baby.

The keepers and staff at the Woodland Park Zoo were committed to having Nadiri raise her baby. But they were also ready for the possibility that she might not embrace motherhood immediately, because Nadiri had been rejected by her own mother and was hand-raised. So while they began caring for the new baby gorilla, they were determined to help Nadiri bond with baby Yola in a safe, non-threatening environment.

What I like about this book: Reading this book gives you a front row seat into what goes on behind the scenes in a zoo. Author, Clare Meeker takes us into the gorilla dens, introduces us to the other gorillas that become family, and shows us the love and dedication of the zoo staff. There’s also plenty of back matter so kids can see how humans compare with gorillas (we share 97.7% of the same genes), and some of the ways people are working to protect gorillas and their habitat.

Clare graciously shared her thoughts during a phone conversation a couple weeks ago. She admits to having a deep love for animal stories. Clare has written a passel of books, including one about an otter and another about rhino rescues. She’s also written a number of animal stories for magazines. Some stories, she said, take longer than others, and this one has been simmering on the back burner of her mind for the past twenty years.

Archimedes: That seems like a long germination time for a story.

Clare: I was working on another book, Hansa, about a baby elephant, and met Harmony Frazier, who has been caring for baby Nadiri at the time. When I saw a photo of the two of them, I thought it would make a great story. But it would have focused on hand-raising a baby gorilla. Fast-forward twenty years and times have changed. Now the Harmony and the team of keepers had a plan. Nadiri had practiced mothering skills with a burlap doll. Still, she was so nervous when faced with caring for her actual baby. Even though the keepers stepped in to begin baby care, they knew that they wanted to raise this baby, Yola, in a gorilla-centered environment. And the beauty of this book is that I could talk about how things had changed for the good, as the keepers focused on helping Nadiri and Yola bond.

Archimedes: It feels like you were right in the cage with Yola. What sort of research did you do?

Clare: Yola was born in November of 2015, and I began doing research not even knowing if she would stay at the Woodland Park Zoo. I’d read a book about the Columbus zoo’s surrogacy program, and asked if I could talk with Barbara Jones and Maureen Casale, the coordinators of that program. They graciously answered all my questions about baby gorilla care without the certainty of knowing whether I would have a book. I spent time at the zoo, watching the gorillas, watching them make nests and engage in outdoor activities. And numerous interviews [note: nearly two-years-worth!] One thing I’ve noticed about the gorilla keepers is that they truly love their animals and are totally dedicated to their care.

Before disconnecting, she talked a bit about where she gets her ideas. Often they come from a chance meeting. One day, driving through Seattle, Clare saw a billboard that inspired her first book, A Tale of Two Rice Birds. Her advice: be open to ideas no matter where they come from.

Thank you for joining us today, Clare. You can find out more about Clare Meeker and her books at her website. If you missed any of the stops on her blog tour, here’s the schedule.

Today we're joining other book bloggers over at STEM Friday, where you can discover other cool STEM books. Review copy provided by the publisher. 

More Animal tales

A few weeks ago I visited the Toledo Zoo. I love zoos, and each one of them has something different to offer. My visit inspired me to share this trio of books.

Explore My World: Lions
by Amy Sky Koster
32 pages; ages 3-7 years
National Geographic Children's Books, 2018

Leap! Pounce! Play! Roar! That's what lion cubs do. Using simple language, this book gives readers an inside look at family life in a pride of lions. Mothers, daughters, and sisters team up to hunt big game. What's on the menu - zebra?

A lioness may be fierce, but she is a tender mother and teaches her cubs the things they need to know for survival. Back matter provides more information about adaptations, communication, and where lions live.

Oliver's Otter Phase
by Lisa Connors; illus. by Karen Jones
32 pages; ages 4-9
Arbordale, 2018

Oliver's otter phase began one morning after a trip to the aquarium.

At mealtime he tries to use his chest as a plate. That's what otters do. He tries to get dad to tie a string to him because mama otters tie their babies to pieces of kelp so they don't get lost.

Oliver tries out a lot of otter behaviors that don't make sense for kids, and one that does. A fun story for any kid who's wanted to be something more exciting than a ... kid - even if they would rather be a polar bear or eagle. Back matter includes a comparison chart for otters and humans (you can make one for the animal your kid wants to be), plus more otter info and a fun game.

What Do They Do with All That Poo?
by Jane Kurtz; illus. by Allison Black
40 pages; ages 3-8
Beach Lane Books, 2018

At zoo after zoo the animals chew.
And then ... they poo!

Lots of kids' books show what animals eat. This one shows what comes out the other end. From marble-like giraffe droppings to 165 pounds-a-day elephant plops, zoo animals create a lot of excrement.

But it's not all waste. Zoos send some of it to scientists who are studying animal diseases or chemical communication. Some zoos rake and turn the poop, packaging and selling it as a "poopular" compost product called zoo doo. Lion dung is used to repel deer, keeping them from eating plants. But my favorite: paper made from elephant manure.  

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup.  On any other Friday we'd be joining others over at Perfect Picture Book Friday, but it's summer vacation. PPBF will resume in September, but you can always head over to Susanna Hill's ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copies from publishers; What Do They Do with All That Poo? from Blue Slip Media .

Worms for Breakfast

Worms for Breakfast: How to feed a zoo

by Helaine Becker; illustrated by Kathy Boake

40 pages; ages 7-10

 Owlkids Books, 2016

It’s feeding time at the zoo, and You’re in charge! What do you feed the hungry hippos and elephants, monkeys and otters? If you don't know, that's OK because there's probably a recipe book somewhere in the kitchen. 

If you're not cooking for a zoo, don't worry - there are plenty of recipes inside the pages of this book Starting with the first page: “Platypus Party Mix”. All you need are crayfish, earthworms, mealworms, and fly pupae. All live, of course.

This book is a ticket to a different sort of zoo tour. Not only do you meet animals, but you learn about animal nutrition, how to feed a zoo baby, and more than you probably want to know about the eating habits of a diversity of animals. Plus there are the recipes - collected from zoos around the world. They include such delicacies as eucalyptus-leaf pesto, kelp tank goulash, and snail trail mix! And if you're thinking, "gee, I'd like a job like that," there are a whole bunch of interviews with zoo nutritionists.

Review copy from publisher.