Chimp Rescue : True-Life Stories

The thoroughly moving books in the Born Free series tell the stories of wild animals around the world that have been saved from a lifetime of cruelty and suffering.
The Born Free Foundation's mission is to protect many different species in their natural habitats, working with local communities to make sure that people and wildlife can live together peacefully. In Chimp Rescue, children will meet Chinoise, a young, orphaned chimpanzee who lived in a steel cage in a noisy restaurant until the Born Free Foundation stepped in to save her. Parents will be intrigued by these books as they recall Born Free, the movie that inspired a generation. In it, they learned the story of Elsa, an orphaned lion cub that was brought up by Joy and George Adamson (portrayed by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna in the movie and the founders of the Born Free Foundation) and released back into the wild. Children will be inspired as they read how the Born Free Foundation comes to the rescue, saving suffering animals and giving them their well-deserved happy endings. Both parents and children will find the stories in these books wonderful conversation starters about life, compassion, taking a stand for what you believe in, and making the world a better place.

Gr 3–5—This chapter book series focuses on the animal rescue efforts of the Born Free Foundation, established by Virginia McKenna and her husband in 1984 after they starred in the feature film Born Free. McKenna opens each title by explaining the beginnings of her foundation and the work they do; each entry then gives a brief account of an animal rescue. Chimp Rescue follows the experiences of Chinoise, a young African chimpanzee who was taken from her wild family and placed in a cage at a restaurant to entertain customers. The text includes a simple description of what her life in the wild was probably like before she entered captivity. Facts about her discovery and rescue are mixed in with sidebars that contain general chimpanzees information. This format is generally consistent throughout the different entries. Each volume emphasizes the dedication and hard work of the rescuers as well as the horrible conditions the animals endured before their rescue. Bright, full-color photographs are scattered throughout. Most of the images depict the specific creature being discussed, but a few in each book clearly portray other animals (for instance, most of the photos in Chimp Rescue are of Chinoise, but there are several of wild chimpanzees). Captions are not provided. VERDICT A general purchase where chapter books about animals or animal rescues are popular or needed.—Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT