Angela & Lulingu
About the Book
The L.A. Zoo’s superstar gorilla Angela, the youngest in her troop, is one of the stars of a new book by Blue Sneaker Press. In Angela & Lulingu, readers will learn how two young gorillas—one in Los Angeles, the other in Africa—have inspired millions of people to care about gorillas and their future.
Angela & Lulingu is a finalist in the 2024 Benjamin Franklin Awards for best nonfiction children’s book. Given by the Independent Book Publishers Association, the awards recognize editorial and design excellence.
A portion of proceeds from the sale of this book will support the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
About the Author
The author of more than 30 books for children, Brenda Scott Royce has served as editor of Zoo View, the award-winning magazine of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, since 2004.
She holds a master’s degree in conservation biology from Miami University and has traveled to Africa, Asia, and South America to study primates in the wild.
Meet Angela
Angela is a western lowland gorilla known for her playful personality. She was born at the Los Angeles Zoo on January 18, 2020. She was the first gorilla born at the Zoo in more than 20 years. She shares a habitat with her mother N’djia, father Kelly, and Rapunzel, who is like an auntie to her. Angela’s favorite foods include carrots and tomatoes.
As Angela grows, “her personality is on full display,” according to Animal Keeper Rebecca Herrera. “She engages the rest of the troop and gets others to participate in play.” The white tuft of hair on hair on her backside is beginning to fade, a sign of developing maturity. “The white tuft is present on baby gorillas. As they get older, the tuft will turn black to match the rest of their hair.”
Baby Angela Crawling
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Meet Lulingu
Lulingu is a Grauer’s gorilla. Born in the wild, she was orphaned when poachers killed her family. She was rescued and brought to GRACE, the world’s only sanctuary for this type of gorilla. She was the youngest gorilla ever to arrive at GRACE. At first, she drank milk from a baby bottle. Her caregivers taught her to find and eat wild foods. Her favorites include bananas and elephant grass.
GoPro: Saving Baby Lulingu with GRACE
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For Teachers
Download a teacher’s guide with discussion prompts and activities designed to help students with story comprehension and encourage critical thinking about gorillas.
For Kids
En Español
Escucha la historia de Ángela y Lulingu en español.