Where the heart is by Irma Gold and Susannah Crispe

In 2011, a Magellanic penguin washed up on an island village beach just outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, near Joao's home. Joao rescued him, cleaned him up and cared for him for months knowing that he would have to set him free eventually. But for that first year they did almost everything together, until there came a time when even Dindim felt the call of the wild and knew he had to leave.

This is the beautiful story of that rescue, the friendship and the remarkable events that followed, even after Dindim left for the cold waters of his native Patagonia. With its gentle text and pictures, it celebrates friendship and the power of the words, "If you love something, set it free."

Teachers' notes for K-2 are available to help young readers understand the broader aspects of Dindim's plight.

Themes: Penguins, Wildlife conservation, Marine habitats, Brazil.

Barbara Braxton