Rickie and Henri
Kindergarten-Grade 3–This is a quiet yet candid story about Rickie, a chimpanzee who lost her mother in a brutal hunter's attack, and who was taken from the rain forest to be sold in Brazzaville, Congo Republic. Goodall does not shy away from the imagined suffering a chimpanzee infant would experience in such circumstances yet the story remains elegant. Rickie bonded with the Congolese man who took her home and found it intolerable when he left on a business trip, so she became deeply attached to the family dog, Henri. Operating on various levels, this story is about the plight of African animals, human kindness, and the compassion and friendship animals can exhibit toward one another. The illustrations masterfully capture terror and despair in Rickie's eyes without being maudlin–they are honest and clearly support the story. Goodall closes with a postscript about Rickie and a Web site for her institute for wildlife research, education, and conservation.–Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.