Me... Jane - Patrick McDonnell (2011)


ISBN 10 : 0 316 0 4546 2
ISBN 13 : 978 0 316 0 4546 9
                          Caldecott Honor - 2012

        (Apart from Caldecott Honor, this book has received various other awards including National Parenting Publications Awards Gold Winner, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Winner, Charlotte Zolotow Award Winner etc.)


A 'dream of life' to the 'life of dream'

       How far a dream could take us? Primatologist, ethologist and animal activist Jane Goodall's dream took her to her dream land of African jungles. Any parent would be excited to introduce her inspiring biography through this exquisite book.

       10 year old Jane's best friend is her toy chimpanzee, Jubilee. Along with her friend, she often ventures her backyard, watching over various living beings around. Curious Jane learns from where eggs are coming, by hiding in a chicken coop. The magical wonders of animal kingdom bounds her, always. She dreamed of a life in Africa, just like her namesake in the book of 'Tarzan of The Apes'. It is the same dream, that took her to the world, she always loved.




     Published By : Little, Brown And Company

     Number of Pages : 40

     Classification : Biography (Jane Goodall)

     Age : Toddler, Kindergartener, Grades 1 - 3




My Comment :

         Often, biographies (even in children's books) work best with grade school aged kids, because of their informative content. If you ever wished to read a biography to your toddler or preschooler, then I would say this is the best book. As only the childhood life of Jane Goodall is covered, this book aptly suits its younger audience. (No need to say, my younger one is so involved in the reading of this book.)

          Being a highly acclaimed book, I have read about this book a lot, from other sources. But, seeing the illustrations (by author Patrick McDonnell) of this book in real, is a totally unique experience. The combination of whimsical and classic overlays gives a perfect dreamy appeal to the book.(The illustrative style of the toy chimpanzee needs a special mention). The images of Jane Goodall and her works are used aptly.

          I can again say that this book works best for toddlers and preschoolers, as the narration flow on a story basis, instead of strict informative basis. With positive inspiration being the center of the book, I can pretty much say that Jane Goodall can inspire many to dream through this book, where inspiration flows from cover to cover.




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2 comments:

  1. My kids and I love sharing biographies. We'll have to check this one out! Thanks for being a part of the Booknificent Thursday reading community this week!
    Tina

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