Kid Konnection: Untamed

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a fascinating look at Jane Goodall's life.

Summary: Jane Goodall, one of the most recognized scientists in the Western world, became internationally famous because of her ability to observe and connect with animals. A girl of humble beginnings, she made scientific breakthroughs thought impossible by more experienced field observers, when she was only in her twenties. Jane’s work with animals shaped her life, leading her into a tireless fight to protect the environment so that chimpanzees and other animals might continue to have a future here on Earth. Jane Goodall’s extraordinary legacy has made a great impact on the scientific community. -- National Geographic

I have always had a huge interest in Jane Goodall and chimpanzees, so it was natural that I wanted to see the new National Geographic Kids book called UNTAMED: THE WILD LIFE OF JANE GOODALL by Anita Silvey. This book covers Ms. Goodall's entire life from her early childhood in England to her current work with her multiple charities. The book even includes a foreward written by Jane Goodall.

UNTAMED is an excellent biography of this fascinating woman for kids ages 8 (maybe 10) and up. The book is close to 100 pages and includes a great deal of information about Ms. Goodall and her studies. In addition, the author presents specifics about her life in a clear-cut way and includes a great deal about her love of animals as a child... which I think will resonate with early animal lovers.

I really can't say enough about UNTAMED. The book is incredibly interesting about Jane Goodall (who just happens to be a pretty amazing woman), but also about chimps and her conservation efforts. I especially loved the way all of the information was presented -- with plenty of gorgeous color photographs and charts and lists. It's a book that you can read from cover to cover (like I did) or skim though for the photos and fun facts.

One of my absolute favorite parts of UNTAMED was in the back of the book. There was an informational spread about chimps along with a Gombe Family Scrapbook. This scrapbook included photographs and details about many members of the chimp family that Ms. Goodall researched. I just love how you can see the different personalities in the photographs!

Another really special thing about UNTAMED is the way it covers Ms. Goodall's various charities and conservation efforts. I've said this a few times, but she really is incredible! The book shows how children can make a difference and encourages everyone to protect our world.

UNTAMED: THE WILD LIFE OF JANE GOODALL is an excellent way for kids to learn about Jane Goodall. It's also a great resource for information about chimps, Africa, and conservation efforts.

Thanks to Media Masters Publicity for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!