{"product_id":"ricos-road-home-paperback","title":"Rico's Road Home - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eLisa Miskella\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eEmily Radulescu\u003c\/b\u003e (Illustrator), \u003cb\u003eCatherine Wadle\u003c\/b\u003e (Editor)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRico's Road Home \u003c\/em\u003eis a powerful children's book inspired by the true rescue of a donkey who was once forgotten-but never gave up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRico was discovered in a holding pen, awaiting transport to Mexico where he would have been slaughtered for his hide. At just six years old, he was severely neglected-dehydrated, blind in one eye due to trauma, riddled with parasites, and suffering from painfully overgrown hooves.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut someone, over a thousand miles away, saw his photo and couldn't look away. That single act of compassion changed everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis beautifully illustrated book follows Rico's emotional journey from fear and mistrust to safety and hope. Coordinated by a rescuer who arranged everything from afar, Rico was pulled from the pen and transported halfway across the country to Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary. On the long journey, he formed a gentle bond with a palomino horse traveling beside him. When he finally arrived, scared and unsure, he was met not with force-but with love, patience, and healing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLittle by little, Rico learned what it meant to feel safe. To take a carrot from a kind hand. To feel the bristles of a brush. To rest without fear. To trust.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd then came a surprise: Rico wasn't just a donkey. His striped legs and ears revealed that he was a rare \u003cstrong\u003ezonkey\u003c\/strong\u003e-part zebra, part donkey. Unique in more ways than one, Rico's story is not only about rescue, but about identity, transformation, and the quiet power of being chosen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book is written for children ages 8-12 and is ideal for classrooms, sanctuary programs, and families who value empathy, animal welfare, and environmental awareness. It touches on real-world issues with age-appropriate sensitivity and uplifting hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAll proceeds support the mission of Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary\u003c\/strong\u003e, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused, neglected, and abandoned farm animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA heartwarming, true tale of second chances, \u003cem\u003eRico's Story\u003c\/em\u003e reminds us that every life-no matter how broken-is worth saving.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 34\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.09 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 30, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47538758189277,"sku":"9798349309243","price":16.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/3GfrAEmTl9798349309243.webp?v=1772551079","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/ricos-road-home-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}