4.5 out of 5 stars

Welcome! Today I’m featuring a review of the children’s book, Zoo Scientists to the Rescue by Patricia Newman. This is a great book for children of all ages. It’s written for grades 3-5, but even my niece and nephew who are 5 and 2 1/2 enjoyed it!

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N

Synopsis

Zoos take care of animals and welcome visitors of all ages, but that’s not all zoos do. Author Patricia Newman and photographer Annie Crawley bring readers behind the scenes at three zoos to meet scientists working to save endangered animals.

Meredith Bastian’s experiences studying wild orangutans help educate both zoo visitors and the zoo workers who care for captive orangutans. Jeff Baughman breeds black-footed ferrets and reintroduces them into the wild. And Rachel Santymire examines poop from black rhinoceroses at the zoo and in their natural habitat to benefit all black rhinos. Find out how zoo scientists are helping us learn more about these remarkable, at-risk species before it’s too late!

Review

This is a terrific book. It centers on three different zoo scientists at three different zoos and the endangered species they work with.  The photographs are brilliant and wonderfully done as well.

Each chapter is filled with facts that can be tailored to the age group you’re reading it to. The book is written for grades 3-5 and has a lot of text, but there are also great maps, images and side panels that can be of interest to any age. I was able to easily tailor it to my niece and nephew who are 5 and 2 1/2.

Not only do the chapters provide facts about the animals and their habitats, but also things that are relevant that you might not have thought to talk about. For example, in the orangutan chapter, there’s information about Palm oil, sustainable and non-sustainable and how Palm Oil plantations are cutting down Orangutan habitat to grow more palm oil trees.

Each section also provides information on what’s being done to help the animal survive in the wild, whether that’s being aware of palm oil, or talking about captive breeding, or other research and conservation efforts.

The last chapter of the book gives ways that children can easily be involved in conservation and saving the environment, including the environments of the different animals.

If you have a child or know a child who’s interested in animals and their habitats, this is a great book to have around! Pick it up and enjoy it!