[Originally published in 2011]
The Text: In simple language and short sentences, Winter tells the story of Jane Goodall. She begins with her childhood, when Jane excelled at listening and watching animals and moves on to her first trip to Africa, to Kenya. There she met Louis Leakey and travelled to Gombe in Tanzania, which would become the heart of her research. Jane Goodall waited and watched and gradually the chimps in Gombe accepted her. As she watched and watched, she learned things about chimps no one had ever discovered. Eventually, Jane left to become an advocate for the chimpanzees and their disappearing habitat.
The Illustrations: Jeannette Winter's simple illustrations add depth to the lyrical text and show Jane as a child, in her first year's of research, and as an older woman traveling around the world. She shows the vast landscapes and the individual behavior of the various chimpanzees with simple colors and shapes.
Extras: An author's note explains how the author refined Jane Goodall's life to the basic essentials in order to introduce her story to young children, adds some details about Goodall, and mentions some further resources. A note at the beginning of the story says the quotes within the text were taken from Goodall's autobiographies.
Verdict: This is a perfect picture book biography. Simple enough in text and illustration to be read aloud to children, but containing plenty of facts and information. There are few truly readable nonfiction picture books for younger children and this is a stellar example and one I look forward to reading aloud in storytime.
Revisited: This title is still in print and an excellent choice.
ISBN: 978-0375867743; Published April 2011 by Schwartz & Wade; Borrowed from the library
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