A Family for Faru
A Family for Faru
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Publisher's Hardcover ©2020--
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Pajama Press
Annotation: In this touching story of belonging and environmental awareness, a young boy's courage and ingenuity help an orphaned rhinoceros find safety in a new herd.
 
Reviews: 3
Catalog Number: #218408
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: Pajama Press
Copyright Date: 2020
Edition Date: 2020 Release Date: 10/27/20
Illustrator: Patkau, Karen,
Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN: 1-7727-8096-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-7727-8096-3
Dewey: E
LCCN: 2022417910
Dimensions: 24 x 27 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
Horn Book

In this story set on the savannah (an author's note refers to South Africa), young Tetenya and his mother have been caring for an orphaned baby rhino. They have had no success finding a herd for baby Faru to join, so Tetenya sets out with Faru to look further. The story follows classic-picture-book structure for a while, with a refrain as they come across different types of animals, "but no rhinos." Sound effects add to the atmosphere, as the pair encounters, for example, "giraffes gliding through the long grass...SWISH SWISH SWISH" and "a family of guinea fowl scrounging for seeds...SCRITCH SCRITCH SCRITCH." The details give a strong sense of place, as child and rhino eat bright pink water berries for lunch and fall asleep under a Jackalberry tree -- but the calm and playful interlude is suddenly interrupted by machete-wielding poachers. Tetenya thinks quickly to figure out a way of using the berries to save Faru, and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. Patkau's digital illustrations use shadows, reflections, and bright colors against the greens and browns of the savannah to make the figures pop. The presence of an armed ranger guarding the rhinos underscores the reality of protecting creatures from poachers, as described in an appended note. But it is the warm relationship between Tetenya and Faru, and the young boy's bravery, that children will most likely remember. Susan Dove Lempke

Kirkus Reviews

Fiction and nonfiction meet as a boy seeks to save an orphaned rhino.Tetenya, a Black boy living in sub-Saharan Africa, takes care of baby rhino Faru after Tetenya's mother finds the animal abandoned on the savanna. At his mother's request, Tetenya picks water berries for lunch, but when the bucket spills, Faru tromps through them, staining his feet pink and ruining the family's lunch. Since Tetenya's mother has been unable to find Faru a new family, Tetenya takes Faru into the savanna to search for a crash of rhinos to adopt Faru, but on their way, they encounter two hunters who kill rhinos for their valuable horns. Tetenya's quick thinking saves Faru from the hunters, and he also helps secure Faru's safety for the long term. This picture book offers a colorful portrayal of a gentle rhino and a boy who cares for him and helps him survive. Readers will encounter many other animals throughout the savanna in Patkau's illustrations, including egrets, giraffes, an ostrich, guinea fowl, and vervet monkeys. Young readers will also enjoy finding small insects, reptiles, and mammals along the journey. The backmatter offers insightful details on the poaching of rhinos, their endangered status, conservation efforts to save them, and Rao-Robinson's story of her encounter with rhinos in South Africa that inspired the book.A gentle story that helps children understand why wildlife conservation matters and why they should care. (Picture book. 5-8)

School Library Journal (Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)

PreS-Gr 1 Tetenya, a young Black boy with curly dark hair who lives near a reserve in the South African savanna, has found a baby rhino, Faru. After they get their feet and hands stained pink from a lunch of water berries, Tetenya tries to find a rhinoceros family to adopt Faru. They pass many local animals: giraffes swishing through the lemongrass, vervet monkeys snacking high in the trees, and guinea fowl scrounging for seeds, but no rhinoceroses answer Faru's squeals. After another snack of berries, their nap under a jackalberry tree is disturbed by poachers. Fearing for Faru's life and inspired by their juicy lunch, Tetenya stains the baby's horn pink, destroying its value to the hunters. Faru squeals in delight to be away from the poachers, this time garnering answers in return. Patkau's bright digital illustrations show the greens, golds, and browns of the savanna and accurately portray the South African wildlife, making them easy for young readers to recognize. Rao-Robinson's plot is predictably heartwarming and the text fun to read as listeners can stomp, slurp, and crash through the savanna along with Faru. VERDICT Having wide appeal, this story can introduce a range of topics, from adoption to African animals to endangered species. Young listeners will enjoy the introductory trek through the savanna and cheer when Faru finds a family. Kristine M. Casper, Huntington P.L., NY

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Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal (Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)
Reading Level: 2.0
Interest Level: K-3
Lexile: AD520L

In this touching story of belonging and environmental awareness, a young boy's courage and ingenuity help an orphaned rhinoceros find safety in a new herd. Tetenya and his mother have found Faru, a baby rhinoceros, alone on the savannah. They know that rhino sanctuaries will adopt orphaned infants, but finding the rangers who protect local herds may be a long and risky prospect--there are poachers lurking about the landscape. Undaunted, Tetenya sets out, leading Faru past giraffes CHOMP-CHOMPING on acacia leaves, amongst vervet monkeys SLURP-SLURPING sweet fruits, and around guinea fowl SCRITCH-SCRITCHING the earth for seeds. Suddenly, danger is upon them: two poachers are coming near. There are only seconds to spare, and Tetenya has nothing but his wits and a handful of berries to help him. In A Family for Faru , author Anitha Rao-Robinson draws inspiration from her life-changing time spent on the savannah and from conservationists' innovation to discourage poachers: injecting a pink dye into rhinoceros horns. Award-winning illustrator Karen Patkau's dreamy landscapes reflect her own travels in the region and celebrate the courage and ingenuity of a young boy as he helps his four-legged friend find a place to belong.


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