Ariana's Reviews > ResQ and the Baby Orangutan

This was the fall book club selection at DD1’s elementary. It is the first in a series that features boy inventor Wheaton and his skiing cousin Stowe as they go with their grandmother on missions to rescue various endangered animals. In this story, they’re off to Indonesia to rescue a baby orangutan that has been stolen away from its mother.

One thing I liked about this book is that kids can get into it for various reasons. The most obvious one is the animals, which lots of kids love: this was probably enough for DD1. Then there are the futuristic inventions that the characters use, which will interest budding engineers. Finally, there is the element of learning about another culture. Kids who are curious about other places will enjoy hearing about local foods and learning some words in Indonesian.

I also enjoyed the book’s approach to endangered species and climate issues, especially for middle-grades readers. The book addresses serious problems such as habitat loss caused by deforestation, but it keeps an upbeat tone. The characters are depicted as problem-solvers who are there to help. The book does a good job of informing readers and focusing on what might be possible instead of instilling despair.

Our book club meeting was unique in that the author joined us (she’s local). Not only did we learn some behind-the-scenes information about the book, but we also learned about the next 2 entries in the series. I think that they will all be fun and thought-provoking reads for middle grades.