Today's read caught my attention for several reasons:
1) I like the calming tones. Maybe, I need more calm in my life? Or maybe it fits to summerly pastels? Honestly, I'm not sure why, but it made me smile.
2) The baby rhino. I think that one is, actually, enough on its own.
3) The historical aspect. Not only does the man's clothing and hair scream historical, but this one claims to be based on a true story, one from history. And I have a soft spot for history.
As for the story....hmmm...honestly, I'm not sure what it will be about. I didn't look at the blurb thanks to the three above already making it a 'must take a peek' for me. So, let's open this one up and see what's inside.
CLARA THE TRIUMPHANT RHINOCEROS
A True Story
by Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by Claire Messer
Picture Book
40 pages
ages 4 to 8
Meet Clara the world-traveling rhino in this adorable picture book based on the fascinating true story of how, in the late 1700s, she showed the world that big animals aren’t scary beasts but noble and intelligent creatures.
Clara the rhinoceros was born in India in 1738. When she was orphaned as a baby, a kind Dutch merchant took her in. But, as Clara grew bigger and bigger, it was clear she needed a new home. A visiting sea captain had an If he brought Clara to Europe, people all over the world could see how wonderful she was!
And so, Clara left her home, and she and Captain Van der Meer became a kind of family. They travelled all over by carriage, boat, road, and river. Clara met kings and queens, merchants and farmers, artists and scientists, and, along the way, forever changed the way people thought about her species and other large animals of the land, sea, and sky.
Clara the rhinoceros was born in India in 1738. When she was orphaned as a baby, a kind Dutch merchant took her in. But, as Clara grew bigger and bigger, it was clear she needed a new home. A visiting sea captain had an If he brought Clara to Europe, people all over the world could see how wonderful she was!
And so, Clara left her home, and she and Captain Van der Meer became a kind of family. They travelled all over by carriage, boat, road, and river. Clara met kings and queens, merchants and farmers, artists and scientists, and, along the way, forever changed the way people thought about her species and other large animals of the land, sea, and sky.
MY TIDBITS
Clara, a rhinoceros, was born in India in 1738 and is the star of this book. Readers discover who she was and the impact her life had in Europe. Yes, there's a quite the voyage and traveling involved, but then, Clara did lead an interesting life, especially for a rhino. The books begins with her birth and follows her as she's brought into a house as a pet by a Dutch merchant. It also explains that rhinoceroses and other exotic animals were unknown to many people of the time period before following her aboard a ship with Captain Van der Meer (her 'family' for the rest of her life) as they head to Europe. From there, she goes on further travels and might experience an unexpected popularity.
This stays fact based and lets the events flow in historical order with tidbits about culture and such woven in as needed. While sticking to the events, the text flows smoothly and never grows boring. But then, Clara is a rhino to adore and will probably win listeners over, right away. The illustrations bring across the historical aspects and cultural goodness of the time frame in each scene. And there's even a map, when necessary, to help readers/listeners understand where Clara travels.
The ending is done with love and care, and finally, rounds everything off with a message from the author and some last words concerning ideologies of the time period and such. This makes it not only an enjoyable read but offers a little bit more for group, classroom, and homeschooling situations as well.
And here they are...
Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of her childhood in Ethiopia. Jane speaks about being an author at schools and conferences and helped start Ethiopia Reads (EthiopiaReads.org), a nonprofit that has opened the first libraries for children in Ethiopia. She is the author of many books for children, including The Bone Wars, illustrated by Alexander Vidal; What Do They Do with All that Poo?, illustrated by Allison Black; Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts?, illustrated by Jane Manning; Anna Was Here; Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros, illustrated by Claire Messer; and the American Girl book Lanie.
Claire Messer is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Art. She works by hand, using traditional printmaking processes to create her picture books, which include the Busy Bus series by Jody Jensen Shaffer, Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros by Jane Kurtz, and her own Grumpy Pants. She lives in the UK.
