Anita Silvey's biography of Jane Goodall is brilliant. Anita manages to produce a solid, sensible study of a life without digging so far into the nitty-gritty details that it's overwhelming. I've read --or began reading -- a few biographies of Goodall's life and frankly and mysteriously the other authors made it boring.
To give you an example, one thing that comes off brilliantly is the continuity of Goodall's love of animals. The photos and the stories from her childhood make her later research seem an unavoidable track. We see a huge photo of little Jane with her little sister and their stuffed animals. Jane's beloved is a large chimp named Jubilee.
This 'connection' is supported by the other kid friendly stories that Silvey gathers. One example would be how even at age 5 Jane was focused enough that she made a long study of a chicken and it's egg laying process. And in another situation where Jane was ill for some time, the young girl coaxed a Robin to visit her in her room and build a nest in her bookcase.
I think UNTAMED would be an excellent book to share with younger readers. Or it would be an excellent addition to school shelves, classroom or library, or the home shelves of Goodall fans.
The message is upbeat but informative. Goodall herself encourages readers to get involved. That even though they are far away from Africa that there are things they can do to make their concerns heard. And, of course, her example of being a self-taught scientists is an important one. Especially for girls.
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Some of the animals of Gombe
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Highly recommend. This book is fabulous. The format is readable and accessible. There plenty of fascinating photographs and a colorful reader-friendly (kids and adults) color and side boxes.
Pam~
UNTAMED: THE WILD LIFE OF JANE GOODALL
(National Geo Kids!)
by Anita Silvey
Reading Information:
Word Count: 14,073
Page Count: 96
Accelerated Reader: 7.4 / points: 2.0
AR quiz: 175511
Lexile: 1100L
~ review copy provided for review
--sample e-chapters available
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