Let's Make a Difference: We Can Help Protect Mountain Gorillas

PreS-Gr 2—The survival of mountain gorillas is in question, as evidenced by this informative picture book. Through large-type font with large, colorful, clear photographs, the book describes how there are fewer than 900 of these animals still living in the wild, residing in three African countries. Readers are introduced to two adorable gorillas: Pikoe and his mother, Izuba. Multicultural cartoon children help to clarify the text. At its heart, this title is a plea for money, making it inappropriate for its intended audience. Readers are told to save up their coins in a change in a jar and ask friends and family to contribute. Once the jar is full, the text suggests, "give these dollars to an adult you trust and have him or her use a credit card to make a donation…to one of the organizations listed on the back page of this book…." A more appropriate title for this age range is Michael Portman's Gorillas in Danger (Gareth Stevens, 2011).—Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI