Dick Houston

A delightful story about Steve and Anna Tolan who moved to Zambia to start a wildlife education centre, aiming to teach the younger generation to respect endangered wildlife. When they fell in love with a small dog, they were advised against taking him because dogs are vulnerable, and often taken by lions or crocodiles. However, Bulu was irrestistible. He became their biggest asset as he nurtured the orphaned animals that were brought in. He was an excellent ambassador at presentations for schoolchildren, many of whom were orphans too. Bulu and the Tolan's story, told by Houston, is intended for a teen audience but I believe animal lovers of all ages would enjoy it as much as I did. The ability of animals to understand the needs of others is amazing.… (more)

Grades 5-8
If [a:John Grogan|8002|John Grogan|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1227569305p2/8002.jpg] billed Marley as the world's worst dog, Bulu's owners definitely believe he was one of the best. And with good cause: Anna and Steve Tolan, a British couple who relocated to Africa in the late 1990s to start a wildlife education center, adopted Bulu when he was a puppy. Friends told them they were crazy to own a pet-- that the lions and elephants and hyenas that made Zambia's Luangwa Valley their home would snatch the dog as prey. But they persevered, and in time, came to realize what a blessing Bulu was to their wildlife center: he became a "big brother" to countless orphaned baby animals that were brought to the center to be raised until they could be returned to the wild. Students will be fascinated not only with Bulu's courage and dedication, but with the up-close look at day to day life in the African bush.… (more)