Following up on his National Book Award finalist, Endangered, Eliot Schrefer delivers a riveting novel describing one boy's struggle to survive in the jungle, living with an adopted family of chimpanzees.
With his mother and sister dead, Luc is alone on the streets of Franceville, Gabon, in Africa. One day, a researcher going by the name of Prof shows up. At first, all Luc sees is an opportunity to steal a locked case full of valuables. But Luc is offered a job, and a way out of Franceville, so he agrees to travel into the jungle to help Prof study chimpanzees. Almost immediately, they encounter a family of chimps who are both endearing and aggressive. While Prof prefers to watch and take notes, Luc is drawn into the dynamic of his new neighbors. He learns how to communicate with the "mock men," and becomes increasingly involved with Drummer, Mango and the other chimps nesting nearby.
Life in the jungle is a constant struggle. Hunters stalk the chimps, as do snakes, leopards and other aggressive groups of chimpanzees. Food is hard to find. Separated from Prof, Luc must always be on his guard, but the longer he stays, the more he feels at home. Disaster strikes, time and again, and when it does, Luc fights back, and ultimately learns all he needs to know about family. Schrefer's well-written, complex novel showcases an exotic plot that will keep readers thinking about the plight of the chimps long after the story's conclusion. --Lynn Becker, host of Book Talk, the monthly online discussion of children's books for the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators