Looking For Miza (Hardcover)

by Juliana Hatkoff (Author), Isabella Hatkoff (Author), Craig Hatkoff (Author), Paula Kahumbu (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3—In June 2007, two rangers in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo discovered that a young mountain gorilla and her mother had disappeared. Although human efforts to locate the pair proved unsuccessful, Miza's father, Kabirizi, a huge silverback that heads the family, found her and brought her back home. Miza's mother never returned. The authors provide general information about the gorillas' lives and the numerous threats to their survival. Engaging full-color photos will hold browsers' attention and may stimulate interest in these animals. However, because the details of Miza's disappearance and rescue are unknown, the authors can only speculate about pieces of the story, weakening the overall presentation. Impressive photos plus more information can be found in Seymour Simon's Gorillas (HarperCollins, 2000). For older readers, Pamela S. Turner's Gorilla Doctors (Houghton, 2005) would be a first choice.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Like Owen & Mzee (2006), this photo-essay tells the story of a wild animal that loses its mother. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park, two rangers receive the disturbing news that Miza, a baby mountain gorilla, and her mother have disappeared. When they reach Miza’s family, her father, Kabirizi, has already left to look for the missing. He returns with Miza. Fearful and very hungry, she slowly recovers and survives. Readers will quickly respond to the vulnerable little gorilla’s story, told in large color photos as well as text. In this volume, unlike many others on endangered African wildlife, the people trying to help the gorillas are African rather than European or American, and the most heroic figure is an animal, Kabirizi, who looks after his family capably without human intervention. Back matter includes information on threats to mountain gorillas (only 700 remain) and on organizations that are working to preserve the species and their habitat. Grades 2-5. --Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545085403
• ISBN-13: 978-0545085403
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #397,912 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #20 in

  Books > Children's Books > Animals > Apes & Monkeys > Nonfiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enthustiastic chest thumps!, September 9, 2008

By	N. Chilton - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Moving, inspiring, informative, beautifully illustrated, and very, very important. This is a true story about one family of mountain gorillas, living in the Virunga National Forest (currently occupied by rebel army forces) and their attempts to return a lost orphan to their fold. "Miza" will engage your mind and steal your heart. You cannot ignore the plight of these magnificent creatures whose lives hang in such delicate balance, threatened by deforestation, poaching, and infection and war. Their innocence, so similar to our own, is poignantly and simply stated: "When gorillas feel safe, they play."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very touching, December 20, 2008

By	G. Bartilucci "amazingrace" (Plainview, New York United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This story will certainly make you think if there really is a definite "line" separating us from our primate cousins. The more I read, the more I believe WE are like the apes and not vice versa.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, January 11, 2009

By	Robin C. Dusek "RD" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful story and all true. It truly teaches children about some of the problems that mountain gorillas are facing. One warning. The mother is never found. For some children, this may be difficult to understand/accept.