Hatkoff, Isabella, Craig Hatkoff, P. Kahumbu, and Peter Greste. 2006. Owen & Mzee: the true story of a remarkable friendship. New York: Scholastic Press.

Plot Summary:
After the disastrous tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December of 2004, a baby hippopotamus was stranded on the coast near a Kenyan town called Malindi.  Villagers helped to rescue the young hippo and brought him to a nearby sanctuary called Haller Park, where the lone mammal eventually befriended a 130 year old Aldabra tortoise named Mzee.  This is the true account of a remarkable friendship told through observations and photographs.

Critical Analysis:
The father and daughter writers of this non-fiction book were intrigued by the unique – and apparently profound – connection between two distinctly different animals.  The point of this book is to focus on the circumstances that brought the animals together and the amazing friendship that ensued.  The authors propose their own ideas – such as Owen’s need for a mother-figure and Mzee’s thoughtful wisdom – but readers are advised that most likely we will never know why these two animals became friends, and we don’t necessarily need to know why. “The reasons are unclear. But science can’t always explain what the heart already knows: Our most important friends are sometimes those we least expected.”

The writing is geared toward elementary-aged children, but adults can also appreciate the story for it’s insight about friendship.  There is also additional information about the animals and the sanctuary in Haller Park in Kenya. This book is not recommended for readers seeking facts about hippos or tortoises, but it can compliment research and provide thoughtful insight.

Review excerpts:
School Library Journal – “This touching story of the power of a surprising friendship to mitigate the experience of loss is full of heart and hope.” – Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist – “Inspirational language about “the power of courage, love, and the preciousness of life” clutters the powerful facts, and not all of the photos are equally crisp and closely cued to the text.” – Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved