Destiny Finds Her Way: How a Rescued Baby Sloth Learned to Be Wild

Explore the Costa Rican rainforest with Destiny, a rescued orphan baby sloth who must learn to return to the wild, in this heartwarming true story from Newbery Honor winner Margarita Engle.

Destiny must learn to be strong and confident after she loses the use of one of her eyes. Without her mother to protect her or teach her, Destiny is found and taken to a rescue center in Costa Rica. The little sloth soon befriends other orphaned sloths. Her poor eyesight, however, makes it hard for her to keep her balance. Eventually Destiny begins to use all of her senses to explore the world around her. But can she learn to climb? Can she master the other skills she needs to survive on her own? And will Destiny be brave enough to return to her wild, forest home?

Join award-winning author Margarita Engle and photographer Sam Trull as they introduce you to the world of sloths in this inspiring story about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself.

For more true animal stories of rescue, friendship, and facing challenges, check out these National Geographic Kids picture books:

• Little Larry Goes to School
• A Leap for Legadema
• Natumi Takes the Lead
• A Friend for Lakota
• Jimmy the Joey

Margarita Engle is a Newbery Honor-winning, Cuban-American author of many books about Cuba and Central America. She is a botanist and agronomist as well as a poet. Her STEM books include Bravo, Summer Birds, The Sky Painter, Mountain Dog, and Forest World, which received a Green Earth Book Award. Other awards include multiple Pura Belpré Awards, and the NSK Neustadt Prize. She lives in Central California with her husband.

Sam Trull has been a photographer and a wildlife biologist for decades. After multiple expeditions to Madagascar, West Africa, and Central America, in January 2013 she settled in Costa Rica, where she co-founded and is the executive director of the Sloth Institute. Her first photo book, Slothlove, was published in April 2016.