KidLit: Discover the Magic of Real Life in Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor
In an enchanting story set in Thailand, a little girl nurses a wounded baby gibbon. What makes this story so delightful is that the story is true.
Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor, written by Peter Alexander and illustrated by Paulo Sergio, is the story of a young girl whose grandfather entrusts her with the care of the gibbon. The grandfather made three important rules: “No name for the gibbon,” “No cuddling the gibbon,” and “No gibbon sleeping in your bed.” Grandfather was not being mean; he knew that Mubu became attached to the animals she nursed, and that the animals would be returned to the wild and, therefore, must not be domesticated.
Of course we know where this is heading…Mubu becomes attached to the little gibbon, names her Mu-Mu, and is broken-hearted when it’s time to release her in her natural habitat. Mubu and Mu-Mu become fast friends and adventure out into the forest where they experience the wonders around them. When Mu-Mu is returned to her home in the forest, will she remember Mubu?
This “funny, exciting and charming story of young Lek Chailert, a true savior of animals” is the beginning of a series (next up: Mubu and the Ghosts & the Tiger, another true adventure) that brings the lush forests of Thailand to children around the world. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Save Elephant Foundation; Lek Chailert, the grown-up Mubu, founded an elephant sanctuary, Elephant Nature Park. It is the home of thirty elephants, a pony, dog, cats, water buffalo, and cows.
Paulo Sergio’s colorful, imaginative illustrations are the perfect companion to Peter Alexander’s engaging story. At the end of the book is a wealth of information about Thailand and gibbons, along with a message from Lek and short bios of Sergio and Alexander. Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor is an impressive introduction to a culture with which children may not be familiar and the lives of animals. It would make a lovely gift for kids, ages 4 through 12, and animal lovers of all ages.
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