Owen & Mzee The Language of Friendship

Summary: Owen & Mzee The Language of Friendship is story shows a bond that was developed between a tortoise and a hippopotamus. This information text tells the story of how the two animals met and illustrates their friendship with real photographs accompanied by captions.

Bib Info: Hatkoff, C., Hatkoff, I., & Kahumbu, P. (2007). Owen & Mzee the language of friendship. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Interest Level: 3-6

Impression: I really enjoyed how it tells a story of a friendship mixed with facts. The book contains authority based on one of the authors being the director of the Haller Park Sanctuary where Owen and Mzee live. I found it neat that Owen & Mzee have a website.

Reviews and Awards: Book Links 07/01/07, Kirkus Reviews 12/15/06, Booklist starred 12/15/06, Publishers Weekly starred 11/13/06, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/07, School Library Journal starred 02/01/07, Horn Book 10/01/07, Wilson's Children 10/01/10

Reviews: In their second book about the young hippo and elderly tortoise living in a Kenyan wildlife sanctuary, the authors report on the pair's first year and a half together. The color photos are topflight, and the anecdotes (such as one about new tortoise pal Toto) will satisfy fans of the odd couple. Thankfully, this book tones down the first book's sentimentality and anthropomorphism.
[Review of the book Owen & Mzee the language of friendship, by C. Hatkoff, I. Hatkoff, & P. Kahumbu ]. (2007, Fall). Horn Book. Retrieved from: http://www.hbook.com/

K-Gr 4-Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship (Scholastic, 2006) chronicled the fascinating story of a baby hippo who was orphaned by the December 2004 tsunami and the bond he formed with Mzee, a 130-year-old Alhambra tortoise at a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. This sequel updates readers on the status of that friendship a year and a half later, particularly with regard to the way this unusual duo has learned to communicate with one another. They apparently call back and forth, making sounds that hippos and tortoises do not usually make. The authors honestly discuss the issues that will face these two friends in the future, as their caretakers become increasingly concerned that Owen could become a danger to Mzee as he continues to grow. Other problems and possible solutions are discussed. The text is clearly written and accompanied by numerous high-quality, full-color photos of this unique pair. Children captivated by the first book will be thrilled to discover this one, and enough background information is provided so that readers coming to the story for the first time will be comfortable. A first purchase for most libraries.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
Oliff, G. (2007, February 1). [Review of the book Owen & Mzee the language of friendship, by C. Hatkoff, I. Hatkoff, & P. Kahumbu]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from: http://www.slj.com/

Use in library setting: This book can be used in conjunction with researching about a tortoise and hippopotamus. This can be linked to further discussion about the unlikely friendship of the two animals.