  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 12/01/2014 PreS-Gr 2—A sprightly introduction to orangutans through nimble wordplay and attractive book design. Kurilla's pen-and-ink illustrations frame Engle's tanka verses, which relate a simple story of an orangutan family in an animal sanctuary in Borneo. Massive papa, whose "great weight makes/low branches waltz slowly" and mama, baby, inquisitive big sister, and watchful grandma live an idyllic existence amid the tall trees. Child-friendly verse evokes the habitat and should have wide appeal: "Imagine/rain forest music—/insects/buzz, zoom, and hum/while green leaves swish." Teachers will also appreciate the page of orangutan facts, where they can find print and online suggestions for further reading. Readers learn that the long-term outlook for this species of gentle primates is in doubt as deforestation threatens their rainforest habitats in Borneo and Sumatra. Engle also includes a note describing tanka poetry, an ancient Japanese format; the modern form is unrhymed and consists of five lines (short, long, short, long, long) of linked poems. She concludes by inviting children to write their own poems and dance like orangutans "with energetic arms and legs." This well-crafted book, with its accomplished verses and smattering of facts, should earn a wide audience.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 04/15/2015 Cleverly combining poetry with scientific information, Engle’s modern tanka poems (a Japanese style often used as a travel diary) express humor and energy. The fun begins as the cheerful orangs play in their jungle trees of Borneo, cuddling in their mama’s leafy nest or flipping, dipping, and swooping through the towering trees and hanging vines. The chattering humans in the orangs’ wildlife refuge revel in the antics of these highly intelligent creatures, as they watch them somersault and cartwheel and clamber upside down. This book is not only an inspiration to children to create their own tanka poems, but it also informs readers about these critically endangered primates. Back matter gives some orangutan facts and a bibliography for more research. The hilarious, digitally colored pencil-and-ink illustrations depict the lush jungle environment and the furry orange orangutans’ extended family at rest and play. Children will be inspired to move their arms and legs energetically like a happy orangutan, dancing the “Orangudance” to the music of the rain forest. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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