Maya and Nala is a sweet tale based on the true story of an extra large dog who needed a home until she met Maya and her family. Maya's mom is an animal rescuer, so Maya has been around many dogs in the 2 years since she was born. They've fostered dogs, cats and bunnies but this day was different because if Nala was a good match for their household, they would adopt her. Nala's previous person could no longer keep her, so she was spending most of her time at a boarding facility and becoming very sad. Nala was nervous when she arrived at Maya's house but was excited to meet Maya. The bond between Maya and Nala was clear from the beginning, but this was a big change for Nala so Maya had to learn to give her time to adjust. This transition period is common with animals being adopted into a new home and animals being put into new settings with new people. Maya and Nala can help explain this to kids in a fun way and gives a parents an opportunity to discuss empathy and understanding of what another being is feeling. Most photos in this book were taken before the idea of telling their story came to be, so readers can truly see the reality of how they are together. In fact, it was after sharing photos of the pair online, that a professor of early childhood development messaged the author, suggesting she make their story into a children's book. Maya and Nala is a feel good book that includes diversity, animals, adoption and education.