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Raising Don: The True Story of a Spunky Baby Tapir

Raising Don: The True Story of a Spunky Baby Tapir

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Raising Don: The True Story of a Spunky Baby Tapir

Author(s)

Georgeanne Irvine

Co-Authors / Illustrators

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press

Publisher Name

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press

Genre(s)

Non Fiction

Age Range

Release Date

October 11, 2022

ISBN13

978-1943198146

ISBN10 or ASIN

When Don the tapir was born at the San Diego Zoo, the wildlife care team was ecstatic. He was the first endangered Baird's tapir born at the Zoo in more than 30 years. But Don's mother wouldn't care for her newborn calf. So wildlife care specialists stepped in to ensure the survival of this precious baby tapir.

Don was bottle-fed and cared for around the clock. When he was old enough, caregivers taught him how to swim, a skill that he would have learned from his mother. Don loved splashing in the water as well as getting rubdowns and back scratches. Soon, his team of human friends grew to love Don and his spunky attitude.

When it was time for Don to meet the other animals that shared his home, though, some of them weren't very friendly: they spit on him, made loud noises, and kicked at him. He just made new friends, including his best buddy, a capybara named Bristle.

This is the true story of Don the spunky tapir, who not only survived a rocky beginning to life but also learned to thrive. Don showed that with a confident, spirited attitude, anything is possible, including bringing hope to the future of endangered Baird's tapirs.

Editor review

1 review

Underdog Rising

December 26, 2022

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

When Don is born, the zoo staff are over the moon because he's the first Tapir to be born there in thirty years. The only problem is that his mother rejects him, so the human staff have to raise him. They even milk Don's mom to make sure he gets the nutrients he needs and try to reintroduce him to her, but she won't have it. As he grows, Don turns out to be a spunky little guy and captures the hearts of people from everywhere. He quickly becomes a crowd favorite and is stronger with more personality that anyone could've imagined.

RAISING DON is a heartwarming story about a baby tapir who overcomes all odds to survive. The zoo staff are disheartened when Don's mom rejects him, but that doesn't stop them from doing everything they can to set him up for a long life. Hearing his story will touch the hearts of all animal lovers. I love how the author incorporates real images of him and how they even talk about when he's introduced to other animals. It's sweet to see him make a friend too.

Final Verdict: I would recommend this to animal and zoo lovers because it's such an adorable story about overcoming the odds. When an underdog goes from the bottom to the top!