Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros
A True Story
By Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by Claire Messer
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Table of Contents
About The Book
Meet Clara the world-traveling rhino in this adorable picture book based on the fascinating true story of how, in the late 1700s, she showed the world that big animals aren’t scary beasts but noble and intelligent creatures.
Clara the rhinoceros was born in India in 1738. When she was orphaned as a baby, a kind Dutch merchant took her in. But, as Clara grew bigger and bigger, it was clear she needed a new home. A visiting sea captain had an idea: If he brought Clara to Europe, people all over the world could see how wonderful she was!
And so, Clara left her home, and she and Captain Van der Meer became a kind of family. They travelled all over by carriage, boat, road, and river. Clara met kings and queens, merchants and farmers, artists and scientists, and, along the way, forever changed the way people thought about her species and other large animals of the land, sea, and sky.
Clara the rhinoceros was born in India in 1738. When she was orphaned as a baby, a kind Dutch merchant took her in. But, as Clara grew bigger and bigger, it was clear she needed a new home. A visiting sea captain had an idea: If he brought Clara to Europe, people all over the world could see how wonderful she was!
And so, Clara left her home, and she and Captain Van der Meer became a kind of family. They travelled all over by carriage, boat, road, and river. Clara met kings and queens, merchants and farmers, artists and scientists, and, along the way, forever changed the way people thought about her species and other large animals of the land, sea, and sky.
About The Illustrator
Claire Messer
Claire Messer is a graduate of the Cambridge School of Art. She works by hand, using traditional printmaking processes to create her picture books, which include the Busy Bus series by Jody Jensen Shaffer, Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros by Jane Kurtz, and her own Grumpy Pants. She lives in the UK.
Product Details
- Publisher: Beach Lane Books (April 8, 2025)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781481467032
- Ages: 4 - 8
Raves and Reviews
The wild and wacky true story of an eighteenth-century rhinoceros' improbable journey through Europe.
– Booklist, 3/1/25
A sweet historical tidbit.
– Kirkus, 1/1/25
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros Hardcover 9781481467032
- Author Photo (jpg): Jane Kurtz Photo courtesy of the author(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit