GORILLAS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Simon, Seymour. 2000. GORILLAS. [New York]: HarperCollins publishers ISBN: 0-06-023036-3 Reading level: 5 to 8

PLOT SUMMARY

Starting with the origins of the gorilla, this book describes the gorilla’s character, habitat, different Gorillas (western lowland gorillas and the eastern lowland gorillas) according to their living area. It also mentions their physical details such as bones and muscles. And it also describes gorillas as a family. The book says that gorillas often live in small family groups, each headed by a silverback, a large adult male. The rest of the family consists of a few blackbucks. In addition, it portrays their daily life in very detailed manner and their special habits such as chest beating, sounds and facial expressions, which have different meanings. Lastly, Seymour asserts that gorillas are one of the endangered animals of the world. And it is up to human, that is, human beings should give them a chance to be left alone in their natural surroundings.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Seymour Simon is one of the most respected nonfiction writers. His gorilla version also satisfies many readers. My image of a gorilla was a huge, dreadful human-like animal. But, this delicate and realistic explanation changed my mind. According to Seymour, gorillas are shy in nature and secretive animals. The sentences are very short and words are easy to understand even for young students. Every photo is arranged on each page and matches the text. If the page is about a baby gorilla, a photo of a baby gorilla is placed on the page. Students can observe the gorilla’s appearance or habits through these vivid photos, which are taken from very close to the gorilla. These results are not possible without a lot of research about gorillas.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Horn Book Guide (April 1, 2001)
Debunking the myths about "scary beasts" spawned by our entertainment industry, Gorillas presents a more accurate portrayal of these gentle animals. While the stunning, highly expressive photos dominate in space and impact, Simon's child-friendly writing offers a fairly full picture of gorilla behavior, physiology, habitat, and daily life. The book ends on a strong conservationist note. Copyright 2001 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist (October 15, 2000)
Gr. 3^-5. In clear, straightforward prose, veteran science writer Simon covers the basic facts about gorillas: the three subspecies, anatomy, family groups, feeding habits, and care of the young. These facts are accompanied by large, clear, color photographs, mostly close-ups, which show the remarkable animals' wide range of humanlike expressions. The combination of the text and photographs creates a striking, powerful impression. Good for browsing as well as reports. --Todd Morning

CONNECTIONS

Activities
*Have children make their own scrapbook about Gorillas.
*Let students discuss what they didn’t know and what they found new about gorilla in this book. *Let students look for more materials about the author, Seymour Simon.

Other books of Seymour Simon
*Simon, Seymour. Our Solar System. ISBN: 0-06-114008-2
*Simon, Seymour. Snakes. ISBN: 0-06-114095-3
*Simon, Seymour. Sharks. ISBN: 0-06-087713-8
*Simon, Seymour. The Universe. ISBN: 0-06-087724-3