A Family for Zoya

2026 Green Earth Book Award: Recommended Reading (Picture Book Intermediate)

2026 Kids Favorites: Kid Read, Kid Chosen (Grades 3-5)

The heartwarming true story of Zoya, the only surviving cub of critically endangered Amur tigers at the Philadelphia Zoo.

When her mother rejects her, the dedicated staff at the Philadelphia Zoo race to find Zoya a new family, and they discover Lola, a Sumatran tiger who has just given birth to three cubs at the Oklahoma City Zoo. A Family for Zoya from Platypus Media is a true tiger story and animal rescue book for kids that follows Zoya's cross-country journey to attempt something never successfully done before. Will Lola accept an unfamiliar cub into her den? Will there be enough milk for all four? Beautifully illustrated by Marina and Annalisa Durante, Zoya's story introduces young readers to real-world wildlife conservation, endangered species, and zoo biology, while sparking meaningful conversations about compassion, belonging, and protecting our planet's wildlife. Back-matter features explore Amur tiger genetics, anti-poaching efforts, and the Tiger Conservation Campaign.

The author is donating 100% of her proceeds from A Family for Zoya to the Tiger Conservation Campaign.

• Award-Winning Wildlife Rescue: A 2026 Green Earth Book Award Recommended Reading selection, a true story of an endangered cub and the conservation effort behind her.
• True Tiger Story for Kids: A real-life survival adventure that teaches wildlife protection and dedicated zoo care.
• Kids Favorite & Educator Approved: A 2026 Kids Favorites top pick (Grades 3-5), blending heartfelt storytelling with real STEM.
• STEM & Conservation Education: Sparks curiosity about biology, ecosystems, and animal behavior, with back-matter on tiger genetics and anti-poaching.
• Heartwarming Family Themes: A rare cross-country introduction to a surrogate tiger mom, showing how love creates families in unexpected ways.

Debra Kim Wolf is a land conservation attorney (under her married name Debra Wolf Goldstein), author, songwriter, and tree hugger. She was vice president of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Commission for over a decade and cofounded the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival. She also directs the nonprofit One Little Earth (www.OneLittleEarth.org), which supports outdoor programs, films, and books that instill a love of nature in young people. Debra received the “Woman of Lifetime Achievement in Conservation” award from the statewide group, PennFuture. Her favorite childhood toy was Toby, a stuffed tiger cub.

Marina Durante is the twin sister of Annalisa Durante. Both work together as nature and science illustrators. They have loved nature and animals ever since they were children and they enjoy illustrating portraits of animals and pets. Marina loves drawing, photography, deep water diving, and hiking. The photos she takes while exploring are the inspiration for their art and help her study the scientific details of animals and plants. Marina's mission for their art is to excite viewers and disclose the real beauty of the Earth. Together, their work has been published all over the world and they have won prizes in naturalistic illustration contests. Marina lives in Milan, Italy.

Annalisa Durante is the twin sister of Marina Durante. Both work together as nature and science illustrators. They have loved nature and animals ever since they were children and they enjoy illustrating portraits of animals and pets. Annalisa's curiosity is delicate, and her exploration is intimate. She is also inspired by her interest in Eastern Philosophy. Annalisa says "By the Western culture I learned skills and from the Eastern one the inner silence, base of true listening and meeting with every creature". Together, their work has been published all over the world and they have won prizes in naturalistic illustration contests. Annalisa lives in Milan, Italy.