Endangered

Title: Endangered

Author: Eliot Schrefer

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: October, 2012

Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel

Goodreads Summary: The compelling tale of a girl who must save a group of bonobos--and herself--from a violent coup. The Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

     When one girl has to follow her mother to her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. It's her mother's passion, and she'd rather have nothing to do with it. But when revolution breaks out and their sanctuary is attacked, she must rescue the bonobos and hide in the jungle. Together, they will fight to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

     Eliot Schrefer asks readers what safety means, how one sacrifices to help others, and what it means to be human in this new compelling adventure.

What I Think: Sophie is a normal teenager who struggles with going between her divorced parents mostly when they live in completely different cultural situations- her father has a office job in America and her mother runs a bonobo sanctuary in Congo. Though she was born in the Congo, the last handful of years have been spent in America with her father and returning to Congo and her mother's sanctuary. The book begins with Sophie being picked up and while waiting in a check point, she spots a baby bonobo who is not being treated well and, against everyone's wishes, buys him. Otto now enters into her life and ours. He becomes the co-star of the book and begins to change Sophie's feelings about being at the sanctuary. But then, right before she is about to leave, chaos at the hand of revolutionaries envelopes Congo and Sophie finds herself in a completely type of situation. 
      Now if you follow me here or on Twitter, you know that I am a sucker for ape books and I have been lucky that many people who care a lot about apes write some amazing ape books - this is a book to add to that list. It left me with even more of a passion for saving these animals who are our closest relative. I. Love. This. Book. It quickly moved into my favorites list even while I was only half way through with it. It is such a journey that you take with this young lady and the growth you see in her (and Otto) is incredible. On top of that, Eliot Schrefer is an author who not only can tell a good story, but he can help you become part of the story and visualize and feel everything that is happening. And I am not alone in this love. Endangered was a finalist for The National Book Award, Eliot Schrefer was a hit at the Scholastic Brunch at NCTE, and it is being gushed about on Twitter: 

• "ENDANGERED is one of those books that has a powerful impact, makes you think, and sticks with you long after you've closed the final pages." -Jillian Heise (@heisereads) 
• "ENDANGERED was a can't-put-down book with an emotional and intelligent story that left me wanting to learn more about bonobos and the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I enjoy books that engage me and leave me thinking, and Eliot Schrefer has balanced that beautifully in this novel." -Jillian Heise (@heisereads) 
• "ENDANGERED is so, so good! Highly recommend to everyone, even though I am only halfway through it. @kelleemoye, you weren't kidding." -Ricki Ginsberg (@ReadwithPassion) 
• "@kelleemoye @eliotschrefer It is such a complex book. Would be great to teach! Very accessible for kids, too." -Ricki Ginsberg (@ReadwithPassion)

Read Together: Grades 6 and up

Read Alone: Grades 7 and up

Read With: Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel, Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, The Chimpanzees I Love by Jane Goodall, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya (via Jillian Heise), Non-fiction books about bonobos and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Snatch of Text: "The man released the bonobo. The little ape sat down tiredly in the dirt and lowered his arms, wincing as his sore muscles relaxed. I kneeled and reached out to him. The bonobo glanced at his master before working up the energy to stand and toddle over to me. He leaned against my shin for a moment, then extended his arms to be picked up. I lift him easily and hugged himself to me, his fragile arms as light as a necklace. I could make out his individual ribs under my figures, could feel his heart flutter against my throat. He pressed his lips against my check , I guess to get as close as possible to my skin, and only then did I hear his faint cries; he'd been making them for so long that his voice was gone." (p. 3-4)

Mentor Text for: Imagery, Emotional Impact, Figurative Language

Writing Prompts: Sophie makes many decisions throughout the book that many people, specifically her parents, would not have agreed with. Would you have made the same decisions as her? Were there any you would have done differently? Do you think her decisions were worth it? Use text evidence to back your answers. 

Topics Covered: Democratic Republic of Congo, Bonobo, Guerilla Militia, Revolution, Race, Nationality, Survival

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