Little Rhino Lost – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Friendship, empathy, community, resilience, nature.
Children’s book title:Little Rhino Lost.
Children’s author: Candy Gourlay.
Children’s illustrator: Jamie Bauza.
Genre: Children’s picture book.
Published by: Otter-Bary Books.
ISBN: 9781915659361.
Recommended for children aged: 3+ year-olds.
First published: Hardback March 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: children who are learning about kindness, community, resilience, and the comfort of nature in unfamiliar situations.
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Our review:
Bok choy, water spinach, spring beans, cushions, fans, house plants and hugs. What more could you do to make a rhino feel at home?
A baby rhino finds itself in a street full of activity, with crowds of people rushing everywhere, packed buses and busy traffic. The hustle, bustle and chaos of busy city life are overwhelming. He is met with kindness and generosity from Maya.
When Maya can’t help him find the greenery where his mum is likely to search for him, she takes him home. Maya makes him a home from home with plants and food. She can’t do enough, but with the neighbours’ help, he soon feels at home as together they create for him his very own jungle paradise. Will his mum find him?
This is a cute tale of friendship, empathy and generosity, bringing together lots of elements such as politeness, community, the environment and how it makes us feel. The tale has depth, such as how it may feel to be surrounded by plants: “everything felt fresh and green and alive”. Resilience is encouraged when Maya reflects positively that the rhino leaves to go where he belongs.
The beautiful, vibrant illustrations portray Maya’s imagination, the community and the magic of seedlings, which together turn a city into a beautiful oasis.
Little Rhino Lost is a warm story about being lost and finding the way home, suitable for ages 3 and up.
Many thanks to Otter-Barry Books for the review copy.
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