Lonesome George, the Giant Tortoise [Hardcover]

Francine Jacobs (Author), Jean Cassels (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

The remarkable true story of a one-of-a-kind survivor.

One lone tortoise lived a simple life on Pinta Island in the Galápagos Islands of the Pacific Ocean. Then visiting fishermen introduced goats to the unique island, which completely disrupted the ecosystem.

One lone tortoise stubbornly clung to life, even after his fellow tortoises disappeared slowly. Then, years after it was believed that all Pinta Island tortoises were extinct, scientists discovered one lone tortoise among the rocky hills of the now barren land.

The scientists named this miraculous survivor “Lonesome George” and brought him to the Darwin Research Station, where they hoped to find him a mate. Even though George has remained a steadfast bachelor while waiting for a Pinta Island mate, he is an inspiration for survival as well as a living reminder of the terrible price of extinction.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 2-3. In this poignant, true account, Jacobs introduces a saddleback tortoise, George, who beat long odds to survive as possibly the last member of the distinctive species of tortoise found only on the Galapagos island of Pintas. Its ecology devastated by the descendants of goats brought in by fishermen, Pintas had been thought for decades to have no tortoises left--until game wardens trying to clear the island of its interlopers discovered George. The tortoise now lives in a large compound on Santa Cruz Island, and the search is on--so far without success--for a compatible female. In painted illustrations Cassels depicts George from various angles, plodding about rocky desert landscapes with wrinkled, appealing dignity. The author caps her simply written account with further resources for children who want to know more about George, or about the Galapagos in general. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Francine Jacobs is the author of 24 books for children, including the Reading Rainbow Feature Selection Sam the Sea Cow, illustrated by Laura Kelly and Lonesome George the Giant Tortoise, illustrated by Jean Cassels. The story of Lonesome George appealed to her because it describes the discovery and rescue of a truly unique creature. She lives with her husband, Jerome Jacobs, in Pleasantville, New York.

Jean Cassels has illustrated more than fifty natural history books for children, but she also has a talent for more whimsical images of birds and beasts and bugs wearing all the latest fashions, as seen in The Mysterious Collection of Dr. David Harleyson. The mother of two grown sons, she lives with her husband in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802788645
• ISBN-13: 978-0802788641
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,783,685 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun, Educational Children's Book!, January 7, 2010

By 

Rachel McElhany - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lonesome George, the Giant Tortoise (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my three year old son. We had checked out of the library several times at his request so I thought we should have our own copy. It's the true story of Lonesome George, the last surviving Pinta Island giant tortoise. My son loves tortoises and he loves George especially. The book is nonfiction but the story is told just like fictional picture book. It's a fun, educational book - we've read it multiple times and I still even enjoy it.