Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

A Home for Amare by Rupamanjari Majumder is a children's picture book that follows a young black rhinoceros named Amare who is searching for a safe and loving habitat. The book begins in Northern Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, where Amare and critically endangered black rhinos live. One morning he wakes up and finds himself alone. His mama and the rest of the herd simply vanished, leaving Amare behind. A helpful oxpecker bird named Obioma finds Amare crying and takes him to a family of elephants. The elephants care for him, but Amare struggles to integrate himself; the differences between the rhino and the elephants are too great. The search for Amare's home truly begins only when a wise Colobus monkey named Azizi suggests an alternate plan.

Rupamanjari Majumder has written a beautifully thoughtful and touching story in A Home for Amare. The plight of wild animals is addressed in a way that will engage with the youngest of readers, an important quality when the next generation of children will likely be the last bastion of preservation for critically endangered animals. I was not sure how this story would end, and there was a heart-stopping moment where I thought there would be a Bambi-esque revelation and the worst possible fate of Amare's mama realized. Instead, mother and son are reunited in an emotional ending that nearly brought me to tears. The illustrations are well executed and presented, bringing Amare's tale to life in full color. Very highly recommended.