This heartwarming tale -- now available in paperback -- is based on the real-life story of an elephant seal who kept swimming back to her home in the middle of a busy road in New Zealand, no matter how far she was taken out to sea.

A world-famous long distance swimmer and Caldecott Medalist team up to tell the incredible story of Elizabeth, a real-life elephant seal who made her home in the Avon River in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. When Elizabeth decides to stretch out across a two-lane road, the citizens worry she might get hurt or cause traffic accidents, so a group of volunteers tows her out to sea. But Elizabeth swims all the way back to Christchurch. The volunteers catch her again and again--each time towing her farther, even hundreds of miles away--but, still, Elizabeth finds her way back home. World-renowned swimmer and bestselling author Lynne Cox and illustrator Brian Floca team up to bring us this inspiring story of an elephant seal who knew exactly where she belonged. Includes back matter with information about elephant seals.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
LYNNE COX is a legendary long-distance, open-water swimmer; the author of numerous books, including Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius (which received three starred reviews), as well as the adult titles Grayson (a New York Times bestseller) and Swimming to Antarctica (a New York Times bestseller); and a contributor to the New Yorker. She has set records for swimming all around the world, and in 2000 she was inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame.

Author Residence: Los Alamitos, CA

BRIAN FLOCA is the author and illustrator of Locomotive, a Caldecott Medal winner and a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book; Keeping the City Going, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book; Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, a Sibert Honor Book and Society of Illustrators Silver Medal winner; and Lightship, a Sibert Honor Book. He is also the illustrator of With Dad by Richard Jackson, which is forthcoming in May 2024 and has already received two starred reviews; Hawk Rising by Maria Gianferrari, a Junior Library Guild selection; and Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, a Sibert Honor Book and winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award.

Illustrator Residence:Brooklyn, NY

Illustrator Hometown:Temple, TX