Turner, Pamela. (2005). Gorilla doctors: saving endangered great apes. New York:
Houghton Mifflin Company. 64 pages. ISBN 0-618-44555-2

Award/s:
Outstanding Science Trade Book for K-12
Flora Stieglitz Straus Nonfiction Award
ASPCA Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award
An American Library Association Notable Book
Junior Library Guild Selection
Kirkus starred review
School Library Journal starred review
Horn Book starred review
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing List

Grade level/s: 3rd, 4th, 5th

Credibility of author: The author worked in the field with scientists like Dr. Lynne Gaffikin, Dr. Mike Cranfield, and Dr. Felicia Nutter. She acknowledges assistance from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Morris Animal Foundation, and the Karisoke Research Center.

Summary: This book centers around the efforts of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project to maintain a healthy gorilla population in the Virunga Mountains of east central Africa. Color photographs carry readers along on the journey of daily life for the scientists/veterinarians as they go into the forests to check on the health of their gorilla friends.

Standards: National Science Standards IV, VII

Illustrations: Vibrant, colorful photographs on each page

Access features: Chapter titles, Resource section with book titles and websites, Postscript, Acknowledgements, Subject index

Use: This book would be great for independent reading by students while studying a unit on endangered species. The websites listed under resources at the end of the book would be very useful for integrating technology into the unit. The websites would also offer information to students on how to get involved in a service project to help save the mountain gorillas.

Response: This book really evoked empathy and helped me to understand the importance of saving the mountain gorillas. It was heart wrenching to read about the effects poaching has on the gorilla families. Reading this book makes me want to involve my students in a class service project involving the Morris Animal Foundation’s Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project.

Related texts: Gorillas in the Mist describes Dian Fossey’s efforts to protect the mountain gorillas. Another book on the same subject is Gorilla: Struggle for the Survival in the Virungas. Both of these books would be geared to 7th and 8th graders.