SOLVED. Non fiction children’s book; A family with an unusual pet named Patti-Patti possibly in Africa or South America

[Angela]

I’m going crazy trying to remember this book. It is a non fiction children’s book. It was about a family. I think they lived somewhere in Africa. They had an unusual pet named Patty-Patty (Patti-Patti unsure of the spelling).

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Please always include plot details in your header, as per the Group Rules. Your query is more likely to be spotted by the people who can help you find it.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

We also need to know when you read it, or around when it was published.

[Angela]

It was read in 1990s possibly published earlier in the 70s or 80s? I know it’s not much to go on.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Angela is still looking and wrote:

"My dad and I remember this book we used to read in the 90s possibility published in the 70s or 80s. It was about a family in Africa or South America that had an unusual pet named Patti-Patti. Sorry not much to go by, thanks!"

[Ayshe]

I googled and it appears Joy Adamson had a rock hyrax Pati Pati. Could it be one of her books?

[Angela]

Sorry I couldn’t find out how to delete my original post, but yes it was Joy Adams, thanks!

[Ayshe]

Great! Do you know which book it was (so it can be added on the group shelves)?
No need to delete the original post, it may help some other searcher in future.

[Angela]

Yes it was from Born Free. We had a children’s picture book of the story.

[Kris]

Was it this picture book - Journey to Freedom by Virginia McKenna? (McKenna portrayed Joy Adamson in the 1966 film "Born Free".)

Forever Free: Elsa's Pride by Joy Adamson is a longer 146-page book.

[Ayshe]

Or maybe Elsa?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

"...they will soon learn to use a sink or even the lavatory. Indeed Richard Leakey's father, a great hyrax fan, used to say "the only thing you cannot teach a hyrax to do is pull the chain." For us Kora seemed a natural place to watch hyrax for one of the famous Adamson animals was Pati-Pati, the animal that appeared as the whisky-drinking rock hyrax in the book Born Free and subsequently in the film." - from Islands in the Bush: A Natural History of the Kora National Reserve, Kenya by Malcolm James Coe

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Angela, still looking or did you find this?

[Angela]

This was resolved!

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Angela. Can you post the book title (version/ edition) and author (e.g., see Messages 10-11 above)?