Rainbow Rhino (1987), by Peter Sis, is a variation of "there's no place like home." A rhinoceros lives alone in the middle of a deep valley, and I wonder why. In this vast setting, there's one rhinoceros and only three birds. One day they take a long walk to unfamiliar places and choose to separate from one another. The rhinoceros finds itself alone and in danger. As it runs home, it finds the birds in equally perilous situations. Together, they all run back to the deep valley, and that's where they stay.
I don't understand this narrative. That these close friends would leave one another made no sense to me. But, since they did, I wanted them to find happiness in personal growth and adventure. Instead, they learn that it's best to stay home. On the back cover, we read that the birds are ". . . lured away from home by the exotic temptations they see on their travels, only to discover their need for each other and the true meaning of friendship." Except the story makes no reference to the value of friendship. It won the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award and praise from the School Library Journal, so there's more to this tale than meets my eye.
David's Simple Teaching has Jungle Animals Clipart. PineappleandCheese has I Spy On a Safari Book. Preschoolenglish Net has Animals - High Quality A3 Flashcards.
