This Place is Wild: East Africa - Softcover

Cobb, Vicki; Lavallee, Barbara

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0802775799 ISBN 13: 9780802775795

Publisher: Walker Childrens, 2000

Synopsis

Join Vicki Cobb and Barbara Lavallee on an exciting safari adventure into the Masai Mara of Kenya and Tanzania, home to more large mammals than any other place on Earth. It is a challenge to balance the needs of wildlife with the demands of civilization, but Cobb and Lavallee introduce us to people committed to living in harmony with the land-from Masai farmers to the promoters of eco-tourism. The newest entry in the Imagine Living Here series (This Place Is Cold, This Place Is Wet) continues to explore the ways that geography impacts upon culture throughout the world.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-4AThis accessible but flawed introduction to the animals of East Africa also offers a brief view of the Masai people who live in close proximity to these wild creatures. Soft colored illustrations are pleasing to the eye. A scene depicting poachers de-tusking a downed elephant is quite poignant and might lead students to seek out the whys, hows, and evils of poaching. A well-thought-out map shows readers exactly where the action takes place. There is no glossary but new words and concepts such as "pronking" and "ecotourism" are explained in the text and listed in the index. There is cause for some concern, however. Lions are misleadingly referred to as "lazy." Calling the marabou stork "ugly" is subjective. Perhaps most disturbing is the sweeping generalization Cobb uses when claiming "the Europeans killed for sport." All Europeans? There is little place for stereotyping in today's science writing for youngsters. Beyond that, Wild might be helpful when used with Caren Stelson's nicely photographed Safari (Carolrhoda, 1989), which includes further data on the lifestyle of the Masai.AAnne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist:

Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. Cobb and artist Barbara Lavallee team up again in a new volume in the Imagine Living Here series. This time they present life in East Africa, explaining the area's uniqueness and its extraordinary animal life. They take a look at the largest and tallest land animals (elephants and giraffes) as well as the grass-eaters (wildebeests and zebras) and the meat-eaters (lions, cheetahs, and hyenas). The attractive, crisply designed book also includes information about the Masai people, with Lavallee's appealing illustrations depicting how the Masai manage to live close to nature without harming it. In addition, Cobb considers the threat modern development presents to the habitats of wild animals. An index makes this imaginative resource all the more valuable and accessible to young readers. Shelley Townsend-Hudson

About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Childrens
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0802775799
• ISBN 13: 9780802775795
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32