Review of Terriers in the Jungle
Posted: 01 Feb 2022, 09:35
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Terriers in the Jungle" by Georja Umano.]
Kate's ultimate goal is to help elephants in Africa. She decides to take her two rescue dogs, Roxie and Romeo, on an African adventure, hoping to find a job in a wildlife conservation agency. Along the way, they meet some interesting animal friends including monkeys, crabs, and even elephants. Come join Roxie and Romeo on the adventure of a lifetime!
Terriers in the Jungle by Georja Umano is a young adult adventure narrated by the two dogs, Roxie and Romeo. Around 200 pages, it's a great length for students in late elementary school or middle school, but readers of all ages will fall in love with it. However, there is a small amount of profanity.
There are many great aspects of this book. First, throughout the book, there are black and white illustrations of various events. These were incredibly well done and helped me picture the scene. As a bonus, some of the artists are Kenyan. What a great way to support the concepts discussed in the book!
Furthermore, the book has many teaching moments. The author informs the reader, through the story, about numerous African animals. We learn their names, what they look like, and sometimes about their place in the animal kingdom. Also, the book teaches why the animals are endangered and what we can do to help. For example, we can switch our plastic straws to reusable ones so that they don't find their way into the ocean.
As for the story itself, the adventure never stops. There wasn't a moment to rest in the story, which kept me engaged throughout. The author even inserts some poetry here and there. Some of this is written by the dogs themselves. I thought that was a cute touch. The descriptions themselves were poetic in nature as well. On page 46, when discussing an elephant, the author writes, "But his spirit is like a gentle and sweet song of a small bird."
In the same vein, at the end, there are resources for further information. If you want to get involved in saving our planet's resources, the author lists organizations in the US and worldwide.
The only issues I had were minor. Sometimes, the author appeared to push her agenda instead of teaching and letting her audience come to their own conclusions. For example, it's mentioned that Kate is a vegan in such a way as to almost shame those that aren't. In addition, there is some mention of reincarnation. It's not pushy, but it's there.
All in all, I enjoyed reading about Roxie and Romeo and their adventures. Therefore, I rate Terriers in the Jungle 4 out of 4 stars. The negatives were too minor to warrant reducing the rating. I recommend this to anyone that loves animals and wants to learn more about Africa, regardless of age. You might want to have your tissues handy, though, as you'll laugh and cry along with the characters.
******
Terriers in the Jungle
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Kate's ultimate goal is to help elephants in Africa. She decides to take her two rescue dogs, Roxie and Romeo, on an African adventure, hoping to find a job in a wildlife conservation agency. Along the way, they meet some interesting animal friends including monkeys, crabs, and even elephants. Come join Roxie and Romeo on the adventure of a lifetime!
Terriers in the Jungle by Georja Umano is a young adult adventure narrated by the two dogs, Roxie and Romeo. Around 200 pages, it's a great length for students in late elementary school or middle school, but readers of all ages will fall in love with it. However, there is a small amount of profanity.
There are many great aspects of this book. First, throughout the book, there are black and white illustrations of various events. These were incredibly well done and helped me picture the scene. As a bonus, some of the artists are Kenyan. What a great way to support the concepts discussed in the book!
Furthermore, the book has many teaching moments. The author informs the reader, through the story, about numerous African animals. We learn their names, what they look like, and sometimes about their place in the animal kingdom. Also, the book teaches why the animals are endangered and what we can do to help. For example, we can switch our plastic straws to reusable ones so that they don't find their way into the ocean.
As for the story itself, the adventure never stops. There wasn't a moment to rest in the story, which kept me engaged throughout. The author even inserts some poetry here and there. Some of this is written by the dogs themselves. I thought that was a cute touch. The descriptions themselves were poetic in nature as well. On page 46, when discussing an elephant, the author writes, "But his spirit is like a gentle and sweet song of a small bird."
In the same vein, at the end, there are resources for further information. If you want to get involved in saving our planet's resources, the author lists organizations in the US and worldwide.
The only issues I had were minor. Sometimes, the author appeared to push her agenda instead of teaching and letting her audience come to their own conclusions. For example, it's mentioned that Kate is a vegan in such a way as to almost shame those that aren't. In addition, there is some mention of reincarnation. It's not pushy, but it's there.
All in all, I enjoyed reading about Roxie and Romeo and their adventures. Therefore, I rate Terriers in the Jungle 4 out of 4 stars. The negatives were too minor to warrant reducing the rating. I recommend this to anyone that loves animals and wants to learn more about Africa, regardless of age. You might want to have your tissues handy, though, as you'll laugh and cry along with the characters.
******
Terriers in the Jungle
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon