Module 4: Nonfiction - GORILLAS

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Simon, Seymour. 2000. GORILLAS. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060230363

PLOT SUMMARY:

Did you know that baby gorillas only weigh four to five pounds at birth or that the hair on a male gorilla’s back slowly turns gray as he gets older? You can find these amazing facts about gorillas and more in Seymour Simon’s fascinating book, GORILLAS. This book provides a wonderful combination of clear, comprehensible facts and striking photographs to give readers an understandable description of the lives of gorillas. Taking a journey through this book offers incredible insight into the lives of these remarkable creatures in a format that can be understood and appreciated by even young readers.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Seymour Simon is an expert at writing informational books for children, so the accuracy of information contained in GORILLAS can be assumed to be of very high quality. Simon explains a vast array of facts about gorillas, including their physical characteristics, natural behaviors, an explanation of the three major types of gorillas, baby gorillas and their characteristics, gorilla families, daily life, facial expressions and communication, and the plight of endangered gorillas. Simon covers these topics with a simple, easy-to-understand writing style that is not weighed down with unnecessary details or bias. The facts are presented clearly, making this book an excellent choice for children.

The organization of the book is easy to follow. The book begins with general information on gorillas and where they live, and it increases in complexity as daily life, body language, and endangered species are examined.

The amazing full color photographs of gorillas certainly add to the appeal of this book. Not only are the photographs beautiful, but also they are strategically placed to complement the text. For example, a close up photograph of a gorilla’s hand is arranged next to text that discusses how a gorilla uses its hands and the gorilla’s ability to knuckle walk. There are also clear photographs of the various facial expressions of gorillas next to the section in the book that discuss this topic. It is clear that the photographs were carefully selected and arranged to convey specific information about gorillas.

The outstanding combination of clear writing and informative photographs make this book an excellent addition to any collection of nonfiction animal books. The eye-catching photographs will spark children’s curiosity about these marvelous animals, and the text will leave them full of interesting facts and appreciative of the magnificence of gorillas.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

From HORN BOOK (November-December 2000):
“While the stunning, highly expressive photographs dominate in space and impact, Simon's concise and child-friendly writing means that a fairly full picture of gorilla behavior. . .is amply conveyed... “

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (2000):
”A clear, concise picture of these endangered creatures and their lifestyle. Simon includes information on the three gorilla species and their physical differences, their habitats, diet, daily habits, various behaviors, and decreasing populations. The extremely handsome, oversized color photos enhance the readable text and complement it perfectly.”

From KIRKUS REVIEWS:
"’The more you find out about gorillas, the more interesting and less fearsome they become’ is this prolific author's theme; he makes his case by matching appealing, shot-in-the-wild photographs to a fluently informative report on the gorilla's physical make-up and typical behavior.”

CONNECTIONS:

*Other nonfiction books about gorillas:
Stewart, Kelly J. 2003. GORILLAS. Osceola, WI: Voyageur Press. ISBN 0896586243

Patterson, Francine. 1987. KOKO’S KITTEN. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590444255

*Activities:
This book would be a great student resource for a research project on gorillas. There are numerous great websites children can use to learn even more about gorillas (and view even more photographs). Students could be encouraged to produce a report, poster, or slideshow presentation on gorillas and share the finished product with the class.

Children may also enjoy tying poetry into a unit on gorillas. Read some animal poems to the class and discuss how the poems capture the characteristics of the animals (check out http://www.poetryzone.ndirect.co.uk/animals2.htm for some animal poems). Ask students to write simple poems about gorillas. Prior to writing the poems, the class can brainstorm key vocabulary words to use in their poems.

*Websites:
http://www.seymoursimon.com/
http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Gorilla/home.html
http://www.koko.org/index.php