A Family for Zoya: The True Story of an Endangered Cub -- Now Available for Pre-Order!
- debrawolfgoldstein
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
The debut children's book by Debra Wolf Goldstein, founder of One Little Earth, is set to hit the bookstores this July!
This is the heartwarming true story of Zoya, the only surviving cub from a litter of endangered Amur tigers born at the Philadelphia Zoo.
After her mother rejects her, little Zoya needs to find a new family–and soon. The animal care team at the Philadelphia Zoo learn that Lola, a Sumatran tiger at the Oklahoma Zoo, has just given birth to three cubs. Could Lola take care of Zoya, too? But Lola and Zoya are different types of tigers. Cross-fostering between tigers has never been tried before!
The zookeepers decide this is Zoya’s only chance to have a real tiger family, and they transport her across the country to meet Lola. They anxiously wait to see how the mother tiger will respond to this unfamiliar baby. Will she and her cubs accept Zoya into the den? Will Lola have enough milk for all the babies? Will Zoya adapt to her new family, even though she looks and acts differently from them? As Zoya grows, her story is marked by moments of uncertainty and hope.
Zoya’s remarkable true journey highlights the profound bonds that unite all creatures and underscores the vital importance of wildlife conservation efforts. The story includes back matter with kid-friendly facts about Amur tigers and the Tiger Conservation Campaign, a program to reduce tiger poaching and help villagers build tiger-proof pens for their farm animals. Learn how scientists have created an Amur Tiger Species Survival Plan that could one day help make the wild tiger population healthier.
Debra is donating 100% of her profits to the Tiger Conservation Campaign.
Illustrated by Annalisa & Marina Durante (published by Platypus Media, ISBN 978-1-951995-29-4, Hardcover, 40 pages, Ages 6-9, Grades 1-4)
"There are many amazing animal stories that highlight the brilliant, life-saving work that AZA-accredited zoos accomplish every day. Zoya’s story in particular shows how humans can work together to save wildlife. I believe sharing this story will inspire the next generation of conservationists to do their part to protect the natural world."
—Philadelphia Zoo President & CEO, Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman
“Zoya’s story demonstrates the important collaborative work between different AZA-accredited institutions to help save endangered animals. Through this process, Zoya was not only able to find a family of her own but also learned how to be a great mother herself. We at the Roosevelt Park Zoo hope that Zoya’s story inspires others to love and protect the natural world around them.”
—Roosevelt Park Zoo Director & Veterinarian, Dr. Logan Wood
MORE KIDS GET THEIR OWN BOOKS FROM ONE LITTLE EARTH!
Last fall, One Little Earth released the first book in its partnership with The Little Press, Wonder Of The Woods by author-illustrator Bonnie Kelso, about a young girl's adventure in the park near her home. The author spoke via zoom to several hundred students at the Wissahickon Charter School, a K-8 tuition-free public charter school in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, and each child went home afterwards with their own brand-new hardcover copy of the book!
Since that time, One Little Earth has donated hundred more copies of this inspiring book to other area youth literacy and nature organizations, including: TreeHouse Books (North Philadelphia) for their lending library and Bookmobile; Mighty Writers (Germantown) for their summer camps; and Riverbend Environmental Center (Gladwyne) for their Caregiver & Me young naturalist program.
Many more engaging nature-themed books are in the publishing pipeline in this exciting partnership with The Little Press--stay tuned!
GREEN EARTH BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCED
For the second year, One Little Earth founder Debra Wolf Goldstein served as a judge for the prestigious Green Earth Book Awards, which recognizes excellence in environmentally-themed books published for children and young adults.
To see the 2025 award winners, runners-up, and honorable mentions in six different book categories, please click here: https://www.natgen.org/green-earth-book-awards