Ninita’s Big World: The True Story of a Deaf Pygmy Marmoset

Marsh introduces Ninita, a pygmy marmoset that was born deaf and taken in by human caregivers when her parents abandoned her after only three weeks. In Coleman’s cuddly, approachable art, Ninita is groomed with a toothbrush (“the bristles felt just like a mother’s claws”) and she peeks into the pages of a book and climbs up her caregiver’s pant leg. Finally, Ninita finds a friend in another pygmy marmoset brought into the house: “While Ninita couldn’t hear his chatter or whisper secrets to him, she could climb as high as he could and jump just as fast.” Though readers may not gain a clear sense of Ninita’s transition from the sanctuary to domestic life, Marsh’s author’s note includes valuable context. Photos of the real Ninita, and a description of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation and its pygmy marmoset breeding program, conclude. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)