Endangered (1) (Ape Quartet)

Schrefer has crafted a story that is both eye-opening and touching. A story that seems historical but is very much contemporary. Through the eyes of one young girl, the reader gets a glimpse into the deep-seeded challenges of a conflict-riddled third-world country. Sophie has come to stay at her mother's wild animal preserve in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Being biracial complicates things a bit (Congolese mother, white American father) as she's seen as foreign both in America and in the Congo, but she's learned to deal with that. What she doesn't expect to happen on this visit is falling in love with an injured baby bonobo that she can't help but buy from a local bush-meat trader. This spontaneous act sets off a series of events that leaves Sophie feeling guilty and conflicted. And things take a turn for the worse when just after her mother sets off to release some bonobos into the wild, the Congo once again erupts into devastating violence. As Sophie struggles to keep herself and her bonobo, Otto, alive, she's forced to face the consequences of her own actions as well as the horrible results of war. Despite the devastation that Sophie sees both inside and outside of the bonobo sanctuary, Sophie remains determined to survive, but at what cost. Is it possible to survive a war without being corrupted by it? Several close calls (including a near rape) leave Sophie desperately hoping to find her mother in all the chaos. The book does contain numerous references to violence including burned villages, dead bodies, and vague references to rape. I found the relationship between Sophie and Otto to be very compelling as I read quickly to find out what would happen to them. Schrefer has created a remarkable story of survival and hope in a world gone to pieces.

Endangered is a riveting, realistic survival, adventure, coming-of-age story. The nail-biting suspense is smoothly fused with historical information on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beautiful descriptions of the geography. I really appreciated that author, Eliot Schrefer, did not idealize the efforts to save endangered species or simplify the complex problems in wartorn, poverty ridden Democratic Republic of the Congo. As protagonist Sophie quickly learns, nothing ever has a simple solution or a simple cause. Like many 14 year olds, Sophie would rather spend her summer hanging out with her friends than her mother. She resents being forced to leave Miami to go live in the jungle of the Congo where her mother runs a sanctuary for bonobos. A sincere, but foolish, mistake on her first day in the Congo results in Sophie becoming a surrogate mother to a baby bonobo. Sophie did not plan on spending her summer babysitting, and little Otto requires almost 24 hour care. When a violent revolution erupts and the violence finds its way to the sanctuary, Sophie refuses to abandon Otto and evacuate. Soon, Sopohie is all alone surrounded by ruthless soldiers. She is determined to save herself and Otto. Sophie must use the bonobos as her teachers for jungle survival and her instincts to keep them all alive. Her chances of finding anyone to help them or a place safe from the violence are grim, but Sophie knows without her the bonobos are doomed. Sophie's commitment is admirable, but very close to suicidal. Luckily, she has Otto, and the other bonobos, as her protectors.

ENDANGERED caught my attention from the get-go and kept it all the way through. As an educator and an an author, I appreciated the way Elliot managed to address tough ethical choices, incorporate solid scientific information and help readers think about human impact on the environment. Often similar works come across as preachy or didactic. I did not find that with ENDANGERED. This would be a great classroom read for high school students.

I have read all of Eliot Schrefer's books written to date, and this is his best so far. This book is not only extremely well written, but it is also relevant. Kudos to Eliot for choosing to highlight the bonobos in this book and the dangers they face. I confess that I didn't even know bonobos existed until I read this book. Now, I can't get them out of my mind. The story is gripping, exciting, and well paced. It puts a human face on the suffering of humans and the dangers to wildlife during a war in the book's setting. The setting is so finely drawn and alive that it, too, is an important character, one the reader should not forget as he/she reads the book. The heroine, while young, grows and matures as she desperately works to save one bonobo and herself. I simply could not put the book down. I am an adult, but I believe this book is as much for adults as it is for young adolescents. It is a must read in my opinion. I bought additional copies of the book and sent them to relatives - young adolescents and adults. Thank you, Eliot, for writing such a thought provoking, whopping good read!

my favorite author

The story is amazing and touching and a must read. But the covers are damaged and tattered.