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Cubs in the Tub by Candace Fleming

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Cubs in the Tub

The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper

Candace Fleming

Candlewick Press · Print & ebook · August 4, 2020

Reading lane: Zoos

Fred and Helen Martini longed for a baby, and they ended up with dozens of lion and tiger cubs!

At a Glance

Why This Clicks

A Cozy Zoo Story

Meet the warmth and wonder of Helen Martini’s unusual nursery for lion and tiger cubs.

Come here for

  • A true story of baby big cats raised with tender care
  • A glimpse of Helen Martini’s path to becoming a zookeeper

Expect

  • A cozy read-aloud with patterned illustrations
  • A short biography and selected bibliography at the end

Book Details

Authors
Candace Fleming
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
August 4, 2020
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Zoos · Animal Welfare
Reading lane
Zoos

Affinity

Publisher Categories

  • Zoos

  • Biographies of Women for Kids

  • 20th Century U.S.

About This Book

Fred and Helen Martini longed for a baby, and they ended up with dozens of lion and tiger cubs! Snuggle up to this purr-fect read aloud about the Bronx Zoo's first female zookeeper. When Bronx zookeeper Fred brought home a lion cub, Helen Martini instantly embraced it. The cub's mother had lost the instinct to care for him. "Just do for him what you would do with a human baby," Fred suggested...and she did. Helen named him MacArthur, fed him milk from a bottle, and cooed him...

Read full description

Fred and Helen Martini longed for a baby, and they ended up with dozens of lion and tiger cubs! Snuggle up to this purr-fect read aloud about the Bronx Zoo's first female zookeeper. When Bronx zookeeper Fred brought home a lion cub, Helen Martini instantly embraced it. The cub's mother had lost the instinct to care for him. "Just do for him what you would do with a human baby," Fred suggested...and she did. Helen named him MacArthur, fed him milk from a bottle, and cooed him to sleep in a crib. Soon enough, MacArthur was not the only cub bathing in the tub! The couple continued to raise lion and tiger cubs as their own, until they were old enough to return to zoos. In time, Helen became the first female zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo, the keeper of the nursery. This is a terrific non-fiction book to read aloud while snuggling up with your cubs. Filled with adorable baby cats, Cubs in the Tub is a story of love, dedication, and a special kind of family. Gorgeously patterned illustrations by Julie Downing detail the Martinis' in-home nursery, and a warm pallet creates a cozy pairing with Candace Fleming's lovely language. At the end, find a short biography of Helen Martini and a selected bibliography. A Junior Library Guild Selection A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Named to the Texas Topaz Reading List

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