Description
Fourteen-year-old Gerry Copeland has mixed feelings about flying back to his parents鈥� research camp in the African savanna. While his biologist mom and dad study baboon behavior, he鈥檒l be thinking about the video arcade and restaurants back in the city.
Suddenly, their small plane鈥檚 engine stutters and dies. They go down hard. Gerry wakes up thinking a baboon has broken his fall. He鈥檚 shocked to realize the furry arm is his own. Somehow, he鈥檚 become one of the beasts his parents are studying.
Gerry鈥檚 only chance is to stay with the baboon troop. His parents don鈥檛 recognize him and he begins to lose hope he鈥檒l ever be human again. His final, desperate bid to turn back means giving up the animal family he鈥檚 come to care about for the human family where he truly belongs.
Baboon is the riveting story of one teenager鈥檚 journey into the heart of the baboon world, where he confronts terrifying attacks by predators and humans, threatening behavior within the troop, and the day-to-day struggle to survive.
Awards
- Joint winner, New York Public Library鈥檚 Books for the Teen Age 2007
- Joint winner, Best Bets List, Ontario Library Association 2007
- Commended, Sunburst Awards, Honorable Mention 2007
Reviews
鈥淲ild adventure gets a new twist . . . the thrilling facts of animal behavior will stay with readers.鈥�
- Booklist, 05/07
鈥淲ill appeal to readers who enjoy the science fiction genre, readers whose preference is animal stories and readers who like a fast-paced adventure. Students will learn an astonishing number of facts about baboons . . . sure to please. Highly Recommended.鈥�
- CM Reviews, 04/07
鈥淩eaders craving adventure and nature-based drama will find this . . . engrossing.鈥�
- School Library Journal, 06/07
鈥淔ull of rich detail and interesting information about baboons living in the wild.鈥�
- Resource Links, 06/07
鈥淎nyone who says kids鈥� lit isn鈥檛 full of sophisticated prose hasn鈥檛 read this book. Jones weaves a masterful and unique tale of survival . . . a superb storyteller.鈥�
- Word of Mouse Book Reviews, 07/10