Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall

by Anita Silvey, Jane Goodall (Foreword by)

Overview

Jane Goodall, one of the most recognized scientists in the Western world, became internationally famous because of her ability to observe and connect with another species. A girl of humble beginnings and training, she made scientific breakthroughs thought impossible by more experienced field observers when she was only in her twenties. Then these animals shaped Jane's life. She began tirelessly fighting to protect the environment so that chimpanzees and other animals will continue have a place and a future on our planet. Jane Goodall continues to leave the modern world with an extraordinary legacy and has changed the scientific community forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426315183
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/09/2015
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	671,951
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1100L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

ANITA SILVEY is the author of 100 Best Books for Children and 500 Great Books for Teens and has devoted more than 40 years promoting books that turn young people—and their families—into readers. To do this she has appeared frequently on NPR, The Today Show, 60 Minutes, and radio programs in the United States and Canada to talk about books for children and teenagers. She is the former publisher of children's books for Houghton Mifflin Co. and served as editor-in-chief of Horn Book magazine for 11 years. As Publisher's Weekly has said, "It would be hard to find a more authoritative voice than Anita Silvey." Anita writes the very popular Children's Book-a-Day Almanac that appears online. She also creates narrative nonfiction for children - The Plant Hunters, I'll Pass for Your Comrade, Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, and Patriot, and an upcoming biography about singer-activist Pete Seeger.

Table of Contents

Foreword Jane Goodall 6

Introduction 8

Chapter 1 Childhood 10

Chapter 2 Gombe 24

Chapter 3 Celebrity Scientist 38

Chapter 4 Transformation 52

Chapter 5 The Legacy 66

Field Notes: Resources and More 80

All About Chimpanzees 82

Gombe Family Scrapbook 84

The Life of Jane Goodall: A Time Line 88

Map of Gombe 90

Find Out More 92

Notes 93

Index 94

Photo Credits 95

Author's Note 96

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/27/2015
Silvey (The Plant Hunters) adeptly chronicles the life of Goodall from her childhood fascination with animal behavior to her groundbreaking field research of chimpanzees in Africa and her work to preserve endangered animals’ habitats. Goodall’s brief foreword offers a persuasive call-to-action for readers to do their part to save the natural world, and Silvey’s clear, engaging narrative moves briskly through Goodall’s career. The book’s photographs, many provided by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute, include shots of Goodall’s face-to-face interactions with chimps, underscoring the animals’ intelligence and compassion, as well as the beauty of their homeland. Encouraged by paleontologist Louis Leakey, Goodall made scientific breakthroughs regarding the similarities between chimpanzees and humans. Text and photos also highlight Goodall’s extreme patience while observing and working with animals, and her tangible bond with and advocacy for them: “Chimp by chimp, Jane became involved in rescue missions around the world, always maintaining that ‘every individual matters.’ ” Incorporating sidebars, bursts, maps, illustrations, and other images, the book’s handsome design makes for easy, enjoyable navigation. Ages 8–12. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"Silvey (The Plant Hunters) adeptly chronicles the life of Goodall from her childhood fascination with animal behavior to her groundbreaking field research of chimpanzees in Africa and her work to preserve endangered animals’ habitats. Goodall’s brief foreword offers a persuasive call-to-action for readers to do their part to save the natural world, and Silvey’s clear, engaging narrative moves briskly through Goodall’s career.... Incorporating sidebars, bursts, maps, illustrations, and other images, the book’s handsome design makes for easy, enjoyable navigation." - Publisher's Weekly Starred Review

"This accessible account of [Jane Goodall's] life (with a foreword by Goodall herself) emphasizes the qualities that will likely resonate with young readers: her intelligence, sense of adventure, curiosity, and love of animals... Silvey accompanies her main narrative with informative text boxes and vivid photographs that are integral to understanding the places, people, and animals in Goodall’s life—including the chimpanzees she spent years observing. " - The Horn Book Magazine; www.hbook.com

“Adventurers and outdoor lovers will identify with the life and work of Jane Goodall, compellingly presented in “Untamed,” which is filled with full color photographs, illustrations, maps, and fun nature facts.” - The Boston Globe

"Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodallby Anita Silvey is the fascinating story of the childhood and career of the famed scientist. With a foreword by Jane Goodall, a great many photographs of her early years and field work studying chimpanzees, a format that draws the reader in, and a carefully researched and written narrative, this is a book that will both educate and entertain young readers." - About.com

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2015
Gr 4–8—Featuring gorgeous, full-color photographs; primary sources; and fun nature facts, this biography of Jane Goodall will easily entice children. Goodall is presented as inspiring and intelligent as well as down-to-earth in her personality and methods. Silvey focuses on the scientist's relationship to the chimpanzees she studied, and also discusses the anthropologist's trajectory from curious young girl to respected scientist (black-and-white childhood photos and anecdotes add to the appeal). Sidebars provide additional material, such as brief profiles of her mentor, Louis Leakey, and her mother. The photographs of Goodall and her primate friends are beautiful, and the book is well designed and laid out with care. The writing is clear and concise, and learning about the subject's work in such an accessible manner will boost children's self-confidence, especially girls with an interest in science. VERDICT An ideal purchase for science or biography collections.—Shalini Miskelly, St. Benedict Catholic School, Seattle, WA

School Library Journal

2015-03-17
Jane Goodall, whose pioneering observations of chimpanzees in the wild changed scientific thinking about the differences between humans and apes, found a broader mission in conservation and education. Silvey surveys the life of "the most recognized living scientist in the Western world" in five chapters that dutifully cover high points but do little to convey Goodall's "wild life" of the subtitle. Moving from Goodall's early interest in animals to her subject's first years in Africa, the author gives examples of the difficulties Goodall faced in Gombe. "Celebrity Scientist" describes some of Goodall's other early activities and lists her most important observations about chimpanzee behavior. "Transformation" shows her career's new direction after 1986 and identifies three organizations she's founded: the Jane Goodall Institute, Roots and Shoots, and TACARE. In "Legacy," the author describes how our views of chimpanzees and methods of observation have changed. The book's lavish design does little to punch up the text. Numerous sidebars (some occupying a full page) interrupt the admiring narrative, which is not entirely chronological, and the many photographs don't always relate to nearby text. The appended, vinelike timeline is hard to follow. The text is frequently set on faint silhouettes of Gombe plants (a key appears opposite the author's introduction); the occasional use of a small, white type on an orange background also decreases legibility. Goodall provides a foreword; extensive backmatter includes maps, sources, and an index. A serviceable biography. (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews