Owen and Mzee – The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship is a picture book that is filled with full-color photographs of Owen the hippo and Mzee the giant Aldabra tortoise. Their true story begins back in 2004 when a tsunami hit the coast of Africa and washed baby hippo Owen away from his pod of adult hippos.
He actually got washed out on a reef where nearby villagers feared that the salt water would jeopardize his health. It took most of the village, working with reinforced shark nets, to capture the 600-pound baby hippo and bring him in. Want to find out what happens in the book? Be sure to ask your child!!
The story focuses on thirteen-year-old Dicey's struggle to find love, acceptance, and security. Although she is just entering adolescence, Dicey has already experienced the breakdown of her mother and has taken on the subsequent responsibility for her younger siblings.Dicey's song is written by Cynthia Voigt, and won a John Newberry Medal.