How to Babysit an Orangutan

From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3?This naturalist/photographer team, a mother and daughter, describe the responsibilities of adults who "babysit" young, orphaned orangutans at Camp Leakey in Borneo's rain forest. Orangutan mothers are often killed when hunters attempt to capture the baby apes for private zoos, circuses, or movie appearances. A few are lucky enough to be rescued. To ensure their survival, humans accompany the orangs for their first seven or eight years of life, feeding and bathing them, and teaching them about wild foods and nest-building, and providing them with exercise that strengthens their muscles. The text's informal, sometimes anthropomorphic tone diminishes the value of the basic information, which should fascinate animal lovers. The captivating, sharply focused, full-color photographs are consistently overshadowed by the geometric shapes into which they have been cropped and framed. Also, many text blocks are placed in brightly colored and bordered geometric boxes, resulting in an overdesigned product. Tara is featured in many photographs, but since she is listed as the photographer, the book's first-person voice is confusing. Books that contain information about scientist Birute Galdikas, who trains the orang babysitters at Camp Leakey, combined with an encyclopedia article on orangutans, could easily replace this volume; however, its simple presentation at a young reading and interest level makes it a unique offering.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From