Lulu and Malek Sail Off to Sea! by June Foster and Rob Scheer Book Tour, Guest Post, & Giveaway! {Ends 2/3/23}

Review By LAWonder10:

LuLu and Malek Sail Off to Sea! is a beautifully illustrated, delightful children’s book. The illustrations by Gill Guile are expressive, creative and expertly done. They surely will delight children of all ages.

The story is a fun tale and well-written. However, the rhyming is sometimes “off” and it would have been preferable if it had been written in a non-rhyming fashion.

It is a story encouraging children to appreciate nature and the importance of keeping the environment clean. The characters are very endearing and the Title and Cover image are well-chosen and eye-catching.

I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.

*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

Africa’s Gentle Giants By June N. Foster

Giraffes have always held a fairytale fascination for me—a gentle giant, with long elegant necks, patterned coats, and a graceful stride. When choosing characters for our story, Lulu and Malek Sail Off to Sea, a young giraffe was number one on my list!
When I was 5 years old, my Papa took my little sister and I to the Phoenix Zoo. It was the first time I had ever seen wildlife in person, and I was amazed turning every corner. The highlight was venturing to the African Savanna area where we could feed the giraffes.

We climbed the steps to an observation deck and stood face-to-face with these amazing animals. One gentle giant came close to us, and I looked deep in her big, brown eyes framed in long, full lashes. I remember my papa telling me that their eyes bulge a bit and are positioned on each side of their head so they can keep an eye out for predators. How clever!

I held a small biscuit with leaves, and I stretched out my arm. The first time her long tongue came out, I squealed in delight as she gently lifted the biscuit from my hand. I was thrilled to find this adorable photo of my little sister Molly walking down from the observation deck with my gentle giant in the background!

Since that day, I’ve looked upon them as majestical animals to be cherished and respected. Over the years, I’ve kept track of conservation efforts on our most vulnerable animals, one of which is the giraffe. Sadly, they are in rapid decline. 

In 1980, there were approximately
155,000 individuals. Today, the estimate is 117,000 individuals due to bushmeat poaching, habitat loss, and deforestation. A few years ago, I happened to see a sketch drawn by artist and film producer, Matt
Shapira. The sketch was a young calf with warm and compassionate eyes—it simply melted my heart. I visited his website (https://www.theroamingelephantjourney.com/our-story) and found that Matt is well-known for painting majestic elephants on walls across the globe to bring awareness to conservation. His mission and impact on animal conservation is inspiring and greatly appreciated. I would love for you to meet him!

Every day, every painting, mural, hand  crafted item, or fashion design has the singular intention of making people consider the need to talk about the protection of Elephants. Our absolute goal
is to make a difference, to protect and save the lives of Elephants. – Matt Shapira

It was important to Rob and I that our story revolved around two endangered animals, and we thought it would be fun to choose two highly unlikely friends, a giraffe and a lion. It’s a beautiful and enlightening experience to have friends and family with diverse cultural backgrounds and races, as it opens up hearts and minds. Rob often encourages others in his social media posts to “Be a Good Human.” When I hear these simple words, similar to Lulu and Malek friendship, I hear the importance and beauty of treating ALL people and ALL living creatures, with deep respect and friendship.
Please share with Rob and me your most favorite animal and why – upload a photo! We would love to see and hear!