Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book tells the true story of Tarra and Bella, and how much Tarra missed her friend when Bella was injured in a fall. It's a perfect read for children, and this 40-year-old enjoyed it, too! Plenty of wonderful photos, and educational too (there are details about the differences between African and Asian elephants, their diets, etc). It's a book any elephant fan (and dog fans, too!) would enjoy. The friendship between these two is absolutely charming. Photos include frame-by-frame images from video taken of the moment Tarra and Bella were reunited while Bella was convalescing.

Tarra had a long career as an entertainer and even appeared in an episode of "Little House on the Prairie." She was a standout on the set, but even elephants need to retire at some point in time and she was the "first resident of the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee." There she would not be asked to roller-skate, stand on her hind legs while standing on a small bench or play a bit part in a movie. Tarra could just be herself and roam the Sanctuary at her will instead of being cooped up in a zoo. Other elephants began to arrive and as they settled in they made a "special friend." There were Winkie and Sissy and Dulary and Misty, but Tarra just had not found a special companion.

Then one day this scruffy yellow stray dog named Bella was sleeping next to her when she woke up. Tarra began to chirp with delight and somehow the two became fast friends. Mind you, elephants don't cotton to dogs, but now the Sanctuary saw the "beginning of an amazing relationship . . . Tarra and Bella began to do everything together." They swam together, they ran together, they ate together and they even learned to talk to each other. One day Bella was nowhere to be found and Tarra, who probably was very frightened, refused to budge from where she was standing. Bella was found and she was injured. What was going to happen to these two friends now?

This was one of the most heartwarming stories of love and friendship I've read in some time. It's now a widely known story about Tarra and Bella's extraordinary friendship, but I was still awed by the story and the photographs were awesome to say the least. This is a simple, yet powerful story of friendship that has a few subtle messages that we can all learn to incorporate in our hearts. In the back of the book is more information about the Elephant Sanctuary and provides an online link to a "real-time video" of the residents. Look for the EleCam and see if you can identify any of the elephants. Awesome, simply awesome!

I saw Steve Hartman's Assignment America on the CBS Evening News about Tarra and Bella and fell in love. When I heard that there was a book coming out about the two friends, I pre-ordered it. I teach second grade, and have been working on community building in my classroom for the first part of the year. There had been some issues with tattling, unkind words, etc. amongst the kids, and I was able to create a lesson on the importance of kindness and friendship that revolved around Tarra and Bella's story. The pictures are phenomenal, many of them stills from the CBS piece, but the story is more detailed than what originally aired. I still get choked up when I read it!

One of my goals in life is to grow up and become a kid. Some people say I am a perpetual kid. In either case I like Tarra & Bella. It is a fun and friendly book for children of all ages.

I bought this book for my mother, she loved it. She has a special place in her heart for animals and is an advocate
for them. My mother is 84 and doesn't read that much any more but this book really touched her heart. She donates to
many animal rescue and shelter groups and has taken in countless abandoned and stray animals. It breaks her heart to
see, or hear, of any animal being abused. She doesn't understand why everyone can't see that animals have emotions and
feelings just as humans do.

Animals aren't disposable, inanimate things. They think, remember, and feel. Animals, like us humans, also have needs: shelter, food, water, sex, and love and companionship. Most find companionship with one or more of their own species, while some wander outside the box to find that connection with another creature who reciprocates the attention and caring of the other.

Tarra and Bella is the story of an unusual friendship between two animals worlds apart in size and appearance yet connected by an unshakable bond. Here's a great read aloud book with lots of photographs to support and enhance the text. Many of the photos are muted in color but the mutual love of the subjects is phenomenally apparent. The last few pages add information about the animal sanctuary where Tarra and Bella met and now live.

My favorite photo is fills an entire page showing Tarra looking longingly after Bella is carted away for medical care. Think animals don't have feelings, feelings deep, intense, and heartfelt? Read this book.

I made it about 75% of the way through this book before I had to grab a metaphorical tissue. :)

This is a wonderful (true) example of finding friendship in the most unexpected places. I love the sincere and unbreakable bond between Elephant and Dog - their loyalty is truly something to aspire to.

The book chronicles the elephant's (Tara) arrival to the sanctuary, her part in introducing new elephants to the sanctuary, and how she never gets her one best friend. Until the sweet dog, Bella, shows up and then they are forever together.

Until Bella gets sick (and yes, this is the tissue part) because Tarra stays with Bella until the keepers find and take Bella to get better.
Even then, Tarra's loyalty shines through, and the bond between Tarra and Bella never falters.

As far as prose, I didn't find anything exceptional here, but the pictures were quite beautiful in illustrating the story.

Definitely recommended! And, though this book definitely tugs at the heart, it's in a good way and the book will leave you with a smile.

GREAT book!! So heartwarming and JUST wonderful for the kids and adults that read to them! My grandchildren LOVED it as much as I did too. The story is true so it has even greater meaning! I recommend this to anyone from 4 to adult.

This is a picture book that I got for myself but my daughter also loved it. I think that The Elephant Sanctuary, where the elephant and dog met, is such a special place. It was featured in a segment on 60 minutes.

I bought two copies of this book to give my daughter, Bella and her dear cousin Tara. The story of devotion between Bella the dog and Tarra the elephant is perfect for these two people. I love the fact that the book lists a web site with 14 cam recorders and you can actually follow these beautiful animals through out there day. A fun, heart warming story for anyone, but especially dear to Bella, my animal rescuing daughter and Tara a marine biologist who devotes her life to saving fish.