Lynda Rutledge has delivered a wonderful, bittersweet coming-of-age novel designed to celebrate hope in a hopeless world. “West With Giraffes” is an unforgettable novel of adventure, unrequited love, and the spirit of America during the bleakest period of its existence.

Belle Benchley, the first-ever female zoo director who runs the San Diego Zoo, has managed to procure two giraffes and a rhino from Africa. As the transport ship neared New York City a disastrous hurricane nearly sinks it, and the rhino is lost. The giraffes survive and are quarantined before the long trek to California.

Woody manages to procure the job of driving the truck along with Benchley's right-hand man, Riley Jones. Although only 17 and unfamiliar with driving a truck, he manages to impress Jones.

Augusta Lowe, a beautiful redhead with dreams of becoming a photojournalist for Life magazine, begins shadowing the giraffes and their transporters. America's love affair with the animals is a welcome distraction from the events of the times.

This is a beautifully written novel that has everything in it. Intrigue, guilt, desperation, redemption and a pair of the most wonderful giraffes to ever be documented.

The truly inspiring part of this book is that it is based on true events. Some names have been changed and the story is invented by Rutledge, but it reads like a true biography.