In this true story, when Umande is born in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, his mother is too young and inexperienced to know how to interact with him, so he ends up in the hands of his keepers. They love him, care for him, and teach him how to be a gorilla, but it's not the same as having a mother, so he is shipped to the Columbus Zoo, where an older, more experienced gorilla adopts him and loves him as one of her own. Contains an author's note with more background on Umande, his keepers, and his fellow gorillas.
As an adoptive mom herself, the author set out to create a heartwarming story about a successful, loving adoption, and I think she succeeded with this true-life example. This story would also be great for animal lovers, especially those who have a special interest in working in a zoo or as a veterinarian one day. The illustrations pair nicely with the text; the one of Umande and his adoptive mother playing peekaboo is especially wonderful and makes me smile every time I see it.
Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn
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