Chimp Rescue

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.