BOOK REVIEW: ENDANGERED by Eliot Shrefer

ENDANGERED
Eliot Shrefer
Scholastic
Ages 12 +

Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

When Sophie has to visit her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos, she’s not thrilled to be there. Then Otto, an infant bonobo, comes into her life, and for the first time she feels responsible for another creature.

But peace does not last long for Sophie and Otto. When an armed revolution breaks out in the country, the sanctuary is attacked, and the two of them must escape unprepared into the jungle. Caught in the crosshairs of a lethal conflict, they must struggle to keep safe, to eat, and to live.

MY REVIEW:

From the very first page, I could not put ENDANGERED down. In fact, until about half way through the book, I thought this was non-fiction, a memoir. It was so realistic and detailed! But this is indeed fiction, well-researched fiction.

Sophie returns to Congo to spend the summer with her mother, who runs a bonobo sanctuary. While there, she becomes attached to an orphan bonobo named Otto. When the sanctuary and the nearby city are attacked by rebels, Sophie and Otto must not only survive alone in the jungle, but they must also find Sophie's mother.

One of the most powerful books I've read all year. I truly felt as though I were navigating the jungle right alongside Sophie. Heart-wrenching, intense, triumphant! A must read!

CONTENT REVIEW:

Language: None
Violence: High
Sexuality: Mild