Two nations and a mother panda work together to nurture a "precious
treasure" in the remarkable true story of a celebrity panda cub and his
life at the Smithsonian National Zoo--and beyond.
In August 2015, zookeepers at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, were
thrilled to spot a tiny shadow on an ultrasound. For a species as rare
as the giant panda, every new cub is cause for celebration. Zoo staff
monitored mother Mei Xiang, and within days a newborn appeared, weighing
in at just one third of a pound. While Mei Xiang cradled her vulnerable
infant, zookeepers monitored the pair day and night through cameras in
the panda den, and some two million viewers logged on to the zoo
website. First Ladies Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan hosted a ceremony
to announce the cub's name: Bei Bei, meaning "precious treasure" in
Mandarin Chinese. An instant celebrity, the cub captured hearts all over
the world. But pandas in zoos are considered emissaries from the
People's Republic of China, the only country where they live in the
wild. Four years after his birth in America, Bei Bei would embark on an
important new mission.
Graphically arresting, packed with stunning full-color photographs, and
vetted by the Smithsonian National Zoo, Bei Bei Goes Home paints a
vivid picture of global conservation efforts--and international
collaboration--in the guise of an ever-popular and beloved
black-and-white ambassador.
