Orangutan Rescue, by Dougal Dixon (Waterbird Books/McGraw-Hill, 32pp PB, 2004, ages 6-10, grades 1-2, $4.99) Review by Skye Anderson
I am one of those people who won't watch a movie if the dog dies in it. I won't read an article about animal rescue if the animal dies. So, I was leery about Orangutan Rescue. The first few pages were a story I loved, learning about a new-born orang and watching him grow up for two years but then. . . . glad I persevered because Orangutan Rescue is a good good book!
Story and Fact Pages
Orangutan Rescue is a large book similar to a comic book but sturdier and with gorgeous full-page color photos. Words are printed on the pictures but do not interfere with them. A dozen two-page spreads tell how mama orangs make a new bed of twigs and leaves every night in the canopy of tree tops and spends years taking care of and teaching her baby, swinging from tree to tree in the jungle.
Orangs eat fruit such as the durian which receives a photo and word description that omits its terrible stink (ask me how I know!) but puts emphasis on its luscious delicious pulp.
And yes, our wee reddish orang, Chang, at two, is captured by poachers and sold as a pet but manages to escape and be picked up by a rescue. Checked out by a veterinarian, quarantined and then joining a group of other young orangs to grow and learn, he will then be replaced into a jungle in Borneo to live as he was meant to live. Success at age seven!
Shrinking Forests
Two more pages are devoted to the major factor in the demise of this species - habitat destruction. But, where are orangs found and what do they eat? How do you tell a male from a female? What about their behavior and senses, reproduction and young, a glossary? And most importantly, what can we do to help?
These questions are answered in the back of the book so the reader is both told an intriguing story and then learns all about orangs.
The Cover Tells it All
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