In the dense, shady rain forest, it's easy for a little guy to get lost from his mother. When a young okapi wanders away from his mom, he discovers the world of people and learns that he is a very special animal, different from all the rest. But still he misses his mother and their home in the forest. How can he get back?

This heartwarming tale with a happy ending introduces children from ages three to eight to the okapi, a graceful, elusive animal native to the Ituri Forest of Congo-Zaire. Based on the true story of an okapi calf that escaped from captivity, it is sure to delight young animal lovers, while teaching them basic facts about the family life of the okapi. A brief afterword provides more information for parents and older children.

Mary Neel Green has been drawing okapis for many years as a volunteer at the Dallas Zoo. She has also taught at the Arts Magnet High School in Dallas and owned a business called "For the Love of Animals," featuring her art work of animals in ceramics, on canvas, and in other media.

• Acknowledgments
• What Am I?
• More about the Okapi