Craig Hatkoff

The heartwarming true story of the baby hippopotamus and the elderly Aldabra tortoise that became good friends and companions, after the 2004 tsunami killed the hippo's entire pod, is told in Owen & Mzee, an engaging picture-book that is also a father-daughter project, begun when co-author Isabella Hatkoff was six years old. Bringing in Dr. Paula Kahumbu, the ecologist who manages Haller Park, where Owen and Mzee now live, and photographer Peter Greste, the Hatkoffs set out to document an show more unusual cross-species relationship - it's rare for a mammal and a reptile to form such a close bond - and ended up producing a charming book in the process.

I enjoyed Owen & Mzee when it first came out in 2006, and have noted the subsequent rise of this kind of cross-species 'buddy book' - see also: Tarra & Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends, Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival, and Tiger Pups - so when it was chosen as one of our February selections, over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "friendship," I was happy to have the chance to reread and review it here. Young readers with a love for animals, or an interest in orphan stories, will enjoy this book, and its story of the unlikely bonds that arise in and after times of crisis. I know I did! show less

The Hatkoff family, together with co-author Dr. Paula Kahumbu and photographer Peter Greste, are best known for their presentation of the inspiring true story of Owen, a baby hippo orphaned by the 2004 tsunami, who was adopted by an ancient Aldabra tortoise named Mzee. In their latest picture book, Looking for Miza, the team turn their attention to a family of mountain gorillas living in Virunga National Park, in the Congo.

When baby Miza and her mother go missing, park rangers Innocent and show more Diddy begin the search, but it is Kabirizi, the silverback leader of the troop, who finds the little gorilla, and brings her home. Although not the strongest Hatkoff title available, young animal lovers will enjoy this informative picture book, illustrated with beautiful color photographs. Some information about threats to mountain gorillas - one of the most endangered species on earth - are included at the end. show less

Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff - the author team that produced Looking For Miza: The True Story of the Mountain Gorilla Family Who Rescued One of Their Own and Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated The World (Isabella and Craig also worked on Owen & Mzee: The True Story Of A Remarkable Friendship) - turn their attention to the story of Winter the tailless dolphin in this moving and informative picture-book. Injured when she becomes caught in the lines of a crab trap set in show more Florida's Mosquito Lagoon, a very young dolphin is rescued and brought to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where she is named Winter (due to the coldness of the season) and nursed back to health. When her tail, badly damaged in her ordeal, falls off, and Winter begins compensating by swimming in a manner that her trainers think will damage her spine, Kevin Carroll of Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics steps in, and offers to design a prosthetic tail...

I must be living under a rock, but until a goodreads friend reviewed Winter's Tail, I was unfamiliar with this story, and had no idea that a film had been made from it! Now that I am aware, I am quite keen to see Dolphin Tale, even though I understand that it takes some liberties with the facts of the case. I'd just love to see Winter actually swim around with her amazing tail! I don't think I'd ever really considered prosthetics for injured and disabled animals before, so I found Winter's story quite informative, as well as heartwarming. It was interesting to me that the project to help Winter ended up helping human amputees as well, through the special gel that Carroll invented, to make Winter's tail more comfortable. A wonderful example of everyone benefiting from Carroll's good deed, in volunteering to help Winter!

Illustrated with photographs that document this amazing cetacean's journey, Winter's Tail is a book I would recommend to all young dolphin and marine life lovers, and to any picture-book readers who saw and enjoyed the film. show less

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 show more 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. show less