Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and the Dog Who Became Best Friends by Carol Buckley

Title: Tarra and Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends

Author: Carol Buckley 

Award(s):

None

Reading level/ Lexile Level: 990

Genre: Picture Book, Non-Fiction 

Synopsis:

Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and as more elephants came they paired off in two’s leaving Tarra without a friend. Tarra then meets Bella who is a dog that has been living in the wild at the sanctuary. Bella and Tarra become the best friends doing everything together from eating, napping, playing, swimming, and protecting each other. One day Tarra and Bella go missing and they find them together and Bella has been hurt and cannot walk. Bella is taken to the vet and Tarra finds the building (all on her own) they are keeping Bella in and refuses to leave until she can see Bella. They are truly an example of what it means to be best friends and proof that differences do matter when it comes to friendship.  

Activities: 

1. Have students watch the elephants on the elecam and see what life is like on the scantuary. -- elephants.com 

2. Have students complete research on their favorite scantuary elephant.

3. Have students raise awareness for elephants and raise money to feed/adopt an elephant of their choice. 

4. Use national geographic for kids to learn more about the different types of elephants. -- http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

5. Have students watch the video on Tarra and Bella and write how it made them feel--  http://www.elephants.com/tarra/TarraBella.php

Reference 


Buckley, C. (2009). Tarra & Bella: The elephant and dog who became best friends. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

The Elephant Sanctuary : Hohenwald Tennessee. (n.d.). The Elephant Sanctuary : Hohenwald Tennessee. Retrieved from http://www.elephants.com/