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A Mom for Umande

I'd like you to meet Umande. He's a baby gorilla. On a cold winter's night, he was born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. The zookeepers set him in a mound of sweet hay, hoping that his mom would take care of him.

She didn't.

She was too young, and she didn't know what to do.

A Mom for Umande is the true story of Umande's search to find a surrogate mom. For eight months, a community of keepers, caregivers and volunteers spent thousands of hours teaching him how to be a gorilla. Then he was sent a thousand miles away to the Columbus Zoo where he found love in the arms of a 41-year-old gorilla named Lulu.

"At the center of this tale, based on a true story, is an adorable baby gorilla whose mother does not know how to take care of him. Not only a special adoption story, but also a heartwarming look at the human-animal relationship."
-- Kirkus, starred review

You can order A Mom for Umande from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Download Coloring Pages from A Mom for Umande

Did your little ones love A Mom for Umande? Keep their interest with three new coloring pages from the book! These are perfect for an afternoon activity!

Coloring page 1 - A Mom for Umande (7 MB)

Who will care for Umande?

Coloring page 2 - A Mom for Umande (6 MB)

Umande needs a Mom!

Coloring page 3 - A Mom for Umande (5.24 MB)

Teaching Umande how to be a gorilla.

Curriculum Guide

A Mom for Umande was a Show Me Readers Award nominee! The Missouri Association of State Librarians created a lesson guide for the nomination, and you're welcome to download it below. If you use the curriculum, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Show Me Readers Lesson (69.3 KB)

Curriculum Guide for A Mom for Umande