Books with author Georgeanne Irvine

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Young Reader Nonfiction.This true story of Ruuxa the cheetah and his best friend, Raina the Rhodesian Ridgeback, will leave readers moved and forever changed. Ruuxa, born with front legs that grew crooked, and Raina, diagnosed with terminal cancer, have a friendship like no other. They prove that miracles can and do happen when you have a best buddy by your side. Cheetah and dog pairs have been animal ambassadors at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park for decades. Naturally cautious of new situations, cheetahs are comforted by their dog buddies, allowing the pair to help their trainers teach humans about the magnificence of cheetahs and how they can be saved in the wild. Raised together as cub and pup, the cheetah and dog become best buddies. Trainers, who work with the duos every day, regularly witness the close bond that the two animals have been able to form. But, there has never been as miraculous a bond as that between Ruuxa the cheetah and his Rhodesian Ridgeback pal, Raina. This book is one of three in the Hope & Inspiration Series which includes Karen's Heart and Fabulous Floyd. Get all three books to be truly inspired!

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Benjamin Franklin Award Silver Award for Young Reader Nonfiction Readers will be inspired by this heartwarming story that connects, engages, and builds empathy for our animal friends. This is the true story of Karen the orangutan's brave journey through history-making heart surgery and a challenging recovery and how, in the process, she won the hearts of everyone around her. Karen the orangutan has always been special to her caretakers at the San Diego Zoo. As a baby, Karen needed extra attention from her human friends so she could thrive in the Zoo nursery after her orangutan mother was unable to care for her. When she was a year old, Karen returned to her orangutan family, but soon her keepers noticed she wasn't feeling well much of the time, nor was she growing as quickly as she should. Karen was examined by Zoo veterinarians and cardiologists, who discovered that she had a life-threatening heart murmur, caused by a hole in her heart. To save Karen's life, a surgery team from UC San Diego Medical Center performed open-heart surgery on her- the first time this had ever been done on an orangutan. This book is one of three in the Hope & Inspiration Series which includes Ruuxa & Raina and Fabulous Floyd. Get all three books to be truly inspired!

This is the inspirational true story of Floyd the flamingo, who needed help from his human caretakers and who in turn helped his human friends learn about never giving up. Readers will be inspired by the perseverance of Floyd and those who helped him along the way. Hatched at the San Diego Zoo, Floyd was destined to have a special life right from the start he would grow up to be an animal ambassador, teaching visitors all about flamingos. But early in his life, Floyd's caretakers noticed something was wrong. Floyd couldn't stand up straight. His legs were crooked it looked like he had two left feet! To survive, Floyd needed to have two strong, sturdy legs. Without them, he would not be able to wade in the water, bend down to eat, or stand on one leg all the things a fabulous flamingo needs to do! This book is one of three in the Hope & Inspiration Series, which includes Karen's Heart and Ruuxa & Raina. Get all three books to be truly inspired!

Born at the San Diego Zoo, Mosi Musa the vervet monkey has won the hearts of countless Zoo visitors and keepers with his endless energy. But, life didn't start off easy for Mosi. After a difficult delivery, Mosi's mother Louise showed no interest in her new baby. She wouldn't interact with him, nurse him, or care for him. But Mosi needed a vervet monkey mother to raise him! The keepers realized that Mosi's grandmother might be able to raise him. Grandma Thelma, Louise's mother, wanted to hold Mosi right away. She took care of him as if he was her own baby cuddling, grooming, and protecting him. Keepers saw the bond between the two monkeys grow daily. This is the true story of Mosi Musa, a baby vervet monkey, who had a challenging start to life and Grandma Thelma who stepped in to raise him. Together, Mosi and Grandma Thelma show how special and important grandmas truly are. Includes fun facts and photos of vervet monkeys in the wild!