Zeus, the German Shepherd, found Perla Achi at the Riverside County Animal Shelter on October 2, 2018. At the time, he was a seven-month-old pup and she was a 22-year-old biology undergrad at UC Riverside.
Achi was rescued by Zeus after losing her first German Shepherd, King, to cancer earlier that year — making for a tough start to her first year at UCR. She named him Zeus because he had a way of zooming and jumping when excited. With his size, he shook the floor and made loud noises, which reminded her of the Greek god of thunder.
After losing King so tragically, Achi realized it was important to cherish her time with her new companion.
“Zeus quickly became the ultimate adventure buddy and a big part of my life,” said Achi, who earned her bachelor’s degree in biology in 2020 and continued at UCR as a graduate student in the Department of Nematology within the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
“I always loved stopping during our hikes to identify plants and animals or share science facts with hiking friends. Over time, I thought about creating a lasting memory of my explorations with Zeus to show my future kids. Then I thought, ‘why not make it a teaching book for all kids?’ I could combine my love for teaching and adventure and show kids how fun it is to explore nature and science.”
The books are part of two collections. The first has 10 books, which mostly focus on real-life adventures Zeus and Achi had together. In “Zeus Goes Camping,” her first and favorite of the series, readers learn to identify different plants, birds, fish, and animals, with some science facts along the way.
The second collection has seven books that focus on different science topics. “Zeus in the Ecosystems” teaches kids about ecology, ecosystems, and the kinds of species that live in each one. “Zeus Goes to Lab” introduces kids to things like genes, cells, organisms, and the different branches of science.
“Each book ends with simple tips on how kids can help animals and nature — like picking up trash, staying on trails, and conserving water,” Achi said. “I made sure the books cover a wide variety of topics, so there’s something for every kid, whether they’re interested in dinosaurs, space, animals, reptiles, or other exciting subjects.”
Although writing and daydreaming about the next story were therapeutic during Achi’s academic and research pursuits, some elements of self-publishing were challenging for her.
“Finding an illustrator was a big challenge and often too expensive for a graduate student,” Achi said. “So, I learned to use AI to create images. It was tough at first, especially making sure the characters stayed consistent, and the images looked right. Though I hope to one day have a real artist illustrate my books, I’m glad I can keep costs down so I can donate as much as possible to rescues.”
In addition to their educational value, Achi is donating most of her profits to animal rescues. She now donates 50% of each book sold, but for the first year it was 100%. In August 2024, she donated proceeds to the Big Bear Zoo to support victims of the wildfires.
The books are recommended for children ages 3-10. But how does Achi get a toddler interested in science?
“A big part of science often involves explaining complex topics and your research to a broad audience, like non-science majors, and kids,” Achi said. “So over time, I’ve become better at simplifying ideas. Writing these books helped me improve that skill.”
Achi completed her doctoral degree in fall 2025, and, now that she’s done, hopes to develop sustainable methods for managing parasitic infections in animals, including livestock, dogs, and endangered species. She also wants to inspire the next generation of scientists by mentoring. She will be teaching Biol5A in winter and continue working in the Dillman Laboratory as a lab assistant.
“Teaching has been a passion, and I look forward to expanding my impact on future generations. I want to remind everyone to cherish loved ones, make memories, and appreciate the beauty of nature, said Achi. “Nature has a way of humbling us, reminding us how small we are in this big world. Time for sleep, time for dreams, adventure awaits ...”
Unfortunately, like King, Zeus lost his battle with cancer and crossed the rainbow bridge last week. (No, you stop crying.) Zeus was 8-years-old and spent those years exploring California, loving his family, and visiting campus when he wasn’t hiking.
“Zeus battled cancer for 15 months, when only given six months. He is nothing short of a fighter,” Achi said. “I am so happy I wrote the books to have all our memories together and to show my kids how special this good boy was to my heart. He was with me through my undergrad, my Ph.D., my wedding, and my first daughter. I love you now and forever Zeus, life will never be the same. I miss you more than anyone can imagine.”
Rest in peace, King, and Zeus, the two goodest boys ever.
To read more about Zeus and support Achi’s effort to support animal rescues, you can shop the “Zeus Goes on an Adventure” collection on Amazon.
