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Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall, one of the most recognized scientists in the Western world, became internationally famous because of her ability to observe and connect with another species. A girl of humble beginnings and training, she made scientific breakthroughs thought impossible by more experienced field observers when she was only in her twenties. Then these animals shaped Jane's life. She began tirelessly fighting to protect the environment so that chimpanzees and other animals will continue have a place and a future on our planet. Jane Goodall continues to leave the modern world with an extraordinary legacy and has changed the scientific community forever.
96 pages, Library Binding
First published February 10, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
June 11, 2019
Now if I approach Anita Silvey's Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall primarily and only from how the author has textually and thematically shown Jane Goodall's life and work, I would gladly and without hesitation consider four if not even five stars. For yes indeed and in almost every way, Untamed: The Life of Jane Goodall is from a printed word point of view a perfectly conceptualised and presented middle grade biography, featuring more than enough detail and information regarding Jane Goodall's life and on her career as a primate (and of course first and foremost a chimpanzee) scientist in Africa (including Goodall's conservation and charity work, not to mention that the supplemental information and resources included and found at the back of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall are expansive, featuring both maps and many suggestions for further reading) but thankfully also without ever becoming overly detailed or making use of too much scientific nomenclature and jargon, so that Anita Silvey's text fortunately therefore avoids having Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall become too wordy and thereby potentially a tedious reading experience for the intended age group (for older children from about the age of ten to thirteen or fourteen, although in my opinion. Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall is actually and indeed also a very good and decent general introduction for interested adult readers who might want a detailed but still manageable and not overly long biography on Jane Goodall).
However and that having been said, I personally actually have still found Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall rather a difficult and occasionally even painful for my eyes reading experience, as the font size of the printed words, as how Anita Silvey's writing appears on the pages of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall is so ridiculously minuscule that even with my reading glasses, I was often having trouble figuring out words that appeared blurry and unclear to me (and this especially in areas of the book where instead of a black on white, there was a white on orange or a white on green contrast). And yes, albeit the accompanying photographs of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall are certainly aesthetically stunning and do provide a wonderful visual mirror to and for Anita Silvey's narrative, sometimes there do seem to be textual blurbs that at least to and for my eyes interfere with the featured photographs and vice versa. And therefore, while I do indeed very highly recommend Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall textually, my visual issues with general legibility and that Anita Silvey's featured narrative is just and simply much too frustratingly small for my eyes, this does indeed make me only consider three stars maximum for Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall, as the older I get and the more my eyes do age, the less patience I am willing and able to muster for printed texts that are too small in format and font size or have potentially hard on my vision colour contrasts.
However and that having been said, I personally actually have still found Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall rather a difficult and occasionally even painful for my eyes reading experience, as the font size of the printed words, as how Anita Silvey's writing appears on the pages of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall is so ridiculously minuscule that even with my reading glasses, I was often having trouble figuring out words that appeared blurry and unclear to me (and this especially in areas of the book where instead of a black on white, there was a white on orange or a white on green contrast). And yes, albeit the accompanying photographs of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall are certainly aesthetically stunning and do provide a wonderful visual mirror to and for Anita Silvey's narrative, sometimes there do seem to be textual blurbs that at least to and for my eyes interfere with the featured photographs and vice versa. And therefore, while I do indeed very highly recommend Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall textually, my visual issues with general legibility and that Anita Silvey's featured narrative is just and simply much too frustratingly small for my eyes, this does indeed make me only consider three stars maximum for Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall, as the older I get and the more my eyes do age, the less patience I am willing and able to muster for printed texts that are too small in format and font size or have potentially hard on my vision colour contrasts.
August 31, 2015
Anita Silvey's biography of Jane Goodall is brilliant. Anita manages to produce a solid, sensible study of a life without digging so far into the nitty-gritty details that it's overwhelming.
To give you an example, one thing that comes off brilliantly is the continuity of Goodall's love of animals. The photos and the stories from her childhood make her later research seem an unavoidable track. We see a huge photo of little Jane with her little sister and their stuffed animals. Jane's beloved is a large chimp named Jubilee. From there her early curiosity about chickens and worms makes her later curiosity about chimps seamlessly reasonable.
The other kid friendly stories that Silvey gathers provide fun and clear 'connections'. One example would be how even at age 5 Jane was focused enough that she made a long study of a chicken and it's egg laying process. And in another situation kids (and adults) will share how a very sick Jane, immobilized for a while, as able to coax a Robin to visit her in her room and even build a nest in her bookcase.
SUMMARY
I think UNTAMED would be an excellent book to share with younger readers. In fact, read it yourself. It's wonderful.
There aren't currently any Lexile or Accelerated Learning numbers for this book, but I can tell you that I think it would be an excellent addition to school shelves, classroom or library, or the home shelves of Goodall fans.
The message is upbeat but informative. Goodall herself encourages readers to get involved. That even though they are far away from Africa that there are things they can do to make their concerns heard. And, of course, her example of being a self-taught scientists is an important one. Especially for girls.
I know in the past that I have found some of the old National Geograhic Kids books to be a little dry. No More! This book is fabulous. The format is readable and accessible. There plenty of fascinating photographs and colorful, reader-friendly side boxes.
Highly recommend.
~review copy
~if you want sample pics there's me blog:http://booksforkids-reviews.blogspot....
To give you an example, one thing that comes off brilliantly is the continuity of Goodall's love of animals. The photos and the stories from her childhood make her later research seem an unavoidable track. We see a huge photo of little Jane with her little sister and their stuffed animals. Jane's beloved is a large chimp named Jubilee. From there her early curiosity about chickens and worms makes her later curiosity about chimps seamlessly reasonable.
The other kid friendly stories that Silvey gathers provide fun and clear 'connections'. One example would be how even at age 5 Jane was focused enough that she made a long study of a chicken and it's egg laying process. And in another situation kids (and adults) will share how a very sick Jane, immobilized for a while, as able to coax a Robin to visit her in her room and even build a nest in her bookcase.
SUMMARY
I think UNTAMED would be an excellent book to share with younger readers. In fact, read it yourself. It's wonderful.
There aren't currently any Lexile or Accelerated Learning numbers for this book, but I can tell you that I think it would be an excellent addition to school shelves, classroom or library, or the home shelves of Goodall fans.
The message is upbeat but informative. Goodall herself encourages readers to get involved. That even though they are far away from Africa that there are things they can do to make their concerns heard. And, of course, her example of being a self-taught scientists is an important one. Especially for girls.
I know in the past that I have found some of the old National Geograhic Kids books to be a little dry. No More! This book is fabulous. The format is readable and accessible. There plenty of fascinating photographs and colorful, reader-friendly side boxes.
Highly recommend.
~review copy
~if you want sample pics there's me blog:http://booksforkids-reviews.blogspot....
July 4, 2015
I eventually tired of moving my large collection of National Geographic Magazines from place to place and donated them to a small library. That first article in 1963 to introduce Jane Goodall's work to the world was one of the things that gave me hope that we still had much to learn from the natural world. Now, young people have the very long life of this remarkable woman to enlighten and encourage them in this biographical sketch of Jane Goodall and the creatures she so carefully observed in their native environment.
I am often surprised how other readings dovetail together. I have most recently read Armand Marie Leroi's book, Lagoon: How Aristotle Invented Science.. He ended the book with a quote: “Failure to understand what is obvious can be caused by inexperience: those who have spent more time with the natural world are better at suggesting theories of wide explanatory scope. Those who have spent time arguing instead of studying things as they are show all too clearly that they are incapable of seeing much at all.” Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption. . This thought was more briefly put by a local nature artist, Ned Smith, who said: “Seeing is more than merely looking. It involves noticing things.” Louis Leakey made a very wise choice when he recognized in Jane Goodall the observer he needed to study our closest relative in the animal kingdom.
I particularly liked "Key to pictured plants" in the introduction. Each was identified with a stylized sketch of the plant and began with the taxonomic name of the genus and species. There followed for each an observation of its relationship to chimpanzees, the observations that made it significant. It made me pay close attention to the photographs on pages where the subtle printing of the stylized art appeared large on the background of the pages. It made me pay attention and observe more closely.
There is much to commend this book to young readers. It is so much more than a summary of a life so far, it is a teaching tool that must might encourage young people to pay attention to the natural world around them a bit more closely by getting beyond just reading about it.
I am often surprised how other readings dovetail together. I have most recently read Armand Marie Leroi's book, Lagoon: How Aristotle Invented Science.. He ended the book with a quote: “Failure to understand what is obvious can be caused by inexperience: those who have spent more time with the natural world are better at suggesting theories of wide explanatory scope. Those who have spent time arguing instead of studying things as they are show all too clearly that they are incapable of seeing much at all.” Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption. . This thought was more briefly put by a local nature artist, Ned Smith, who said: “Seeing is more than merely looking. It involves noticing things.” Louis Leakey made a very wise choice when he recognized in Jane Goodall the observer he needed to study our closest relative in the animal kingdom.
I particularly liked "Key to pictured plants" in the introduction. Each was identified with a stylized sketch of the plant and began with the taxonomic name of the genus and species. There followed for each an observation of its relationship to chimpanzees, the observations that made it significant. It made me pay close attention to the photographs on pages where the subtle printing of the stylized art appeared large on the background of the pages. It made me pay attention and observe more closely.
There is much to commend this book to young readers. It is so much more than a summary of a life so far, it is a teaching tool that must might encourage young people to pay attention to the natural world around them a bit more closely by getting beyond just reading about it.
October 4, 2015
This is a high quality biography of Jane Goodall for middle graders. The visual experience is especially excellent; the photos are crisp and compelling, and the visual layout is highly engaging. My one quibble with the book is that it emphasized how alone Jane was in the early years of her research, and yet almost in the same sentence, it talks about how she was with two guides and a cook as well as her mother. The story made out like she and her mom battled malaria alone, when really, it was those other people who probably helped them through the ordeal. I wish credit would have been given to those people, but maybe their names are lost to history. Anyway, other than that, I really enjoyed the book. People who liked Sy Montgomery's biography of Temple Grandin would also like this one.
July 13, 2015
Jane Goodall's work with chimpanzee's is well known. I remember hearing about it from the time I was a child. But I still found this book eye-opening. The book offers not only stunning photographs and great information about chimps but a look into the dedicated career of a woman who loved animals from the time she knew they existed. I don't know many five-year-old's who could be quiet and still enough to watch a hen laying an egg. Clearly, Jane demonstrated an ability to observe patiently from a very young age. Written in a very engaging style, Untamed, shares the power of following one's heart even in the face of great obstacles. I especially enjoyed the stories about Jane and her chimps. I knew it must have been a great challenge to go out in the wild and observe a wild animal the way she did, but I didn't know just how difficult. I appreciated Silvey's efforts to share major events in Jane's life with just enough detail to hold a young reader's interest. The sidebars included information about specific chimps, chimp behavior, and other topics related to Jane's life. I also found it inspiring to read about the incredible difference that one dedicated person can make in the world if they believe in what they are doing and don't give up. An absolutely fascinating and inspiring story of a woman that many people know about but don't understand. The inclusion of additional resources is great for those readers who want to know more as is the information about the organizations that Jane has helped found and support during her lifetime.
December 10, 2015
Synopsis- Jane Goodall always loved animals, ever since her childhood. When given an opportunity to visit Africa, Jane pounces on the idea – imagine the wildlife there! When in Africa, she realized she needs a job. That leads her to animal and historical enthusiast, Louis Leakey. Working as his secretary Jane soon steps up to a job that Louis has been looking for a person to do. That job? Visit the nearby, unmapped Gombe forest and study the chimpanzees living there. It was something no trained field expert had ever done, and Jane had no field experience. Was this the opportunity of a life time or huge mistake?
What I Thought- This is a wonderful resource about the life of Jane Goodall. It starts from her young childhood and goes to current-day. The book even includes a foreword by Ms. Goodall. I like how, while the book is meant for kids, it puts the parts of the book in a cool, easy-to-read, but was also informational and succinct. I actually prefer these to what NatGeo puts out for adults (but maybe that is because I am a kid ;) ). This has fun facts, easy-to-read pages, and much more! Besides learning about Ms. Goodall’s work with chimpanzees, did you know that Ms. Goodall was a great waitress, and could carry around 12 plates without a tray? I learned a lot, and the book really brought Ms. Goodall to life for me. The real life photographs added so much to the story. All I have to say is WOW! I enjoyed every bit of this. I highly recommend the book!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
What I Thought- This is a wonderful resource about the life of Jane Goodall. It starts from her young childhood and goes to current-day. The book even includes a foreword by Ms. Goodall. I like how, while the book is meant for kids, it puts the parts of the book in a cool, easy-to-read, but was also informational and succinct. I actually prefer these to what NatGeo puts out for adults (but maybe that is because I am a kid ;) ). This has fun facts, easy-to-read pages, and much more! Besides learning about Ms. Goodall’s work with chimpanzees, did you know that Ms. Goodall was a great waitress, and could carry around 12 plates without a tray? I learned a lot, and the book really brought Ms. Goodall to life for me. The real life photographs added so much to the story. All I have to say is WOW! I enjoyed every bit of this. I highly recommend the book!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 18, 2016
Untamed is the perfect kind of biography for a middle or high school student (and me included) to understand the beauty and impact Goodall has had on science and primates and human observation and the world. It both explains clearly her growth as a person, her interest in animals and then specifically chimpanzees, and then her efforts when she became famous to make changes to political and environmental climates to protect all ape species. Foundations were created, laws changed, and attention was paid to the impact both testing on animals has for the animals as well as the need for conservation. There are many pictures, not too many, that show her growth as a scientist and her fierceness for observation.
Silvey explains enough of her discoveries as well as counterparts (the Trimates) so well depicted in the graphic novel Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas as well as the chimps that made an impact on her. She's even MORE endearing after reading this biography.and now I am going to read her autobiography.
At age 12 she created a nature club called the Alligator Club with her sister and friends. Each chose an animal to be and they would line up like an alligator for pictures. "They organized secret midnight feasts, raised money to take care of old horses, and created a museum of their natural treasures like seashells and feathers."
Silvey explains enough of her discoveries as well as counterparts (the Trimates) so well depicted in the graphic novel Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas as well as the chimps that made an impact on her. She's even MORE endearing after reading this biography.and now I am going to read her autobiography.
At age 12 she created a nature club called the Alligator Club with her sister and friends. Each chose an animal to be and they would line up like an alligator for pictures. "They organized secret midnight feasts, raised money to take care of old horses, and created a museum of their natural treasures like seashells and feathers."
April 1, 2016
Nice bio for kids on Jane Goodall and her life and work with lots of great photographs! Saw her speak last night and that woman is amazing. The thing that really struck me was that she travels 300 days of the year for speaking events, conservation efforts, and work with her various organizations and said she hasn't stayed in the same place for more than 3 weeks since 1987!!! And she's 81 years old!!! This book pretty much covers the exact ground she spoke about last night, starting with her early life and how she got interested in being a scientist, and finishing up with the conservation work she's been focusing on for the past thirty or so years, so this is pretty much a perfect primer (except that I didn't cry five times while reading the book). I like that it has little bios of many of the chimps she's worked with over the years as well.
September 14, 2015
A great book about a subject that never ceases to fascinate me--intelligent animals and animal researchers. I have had a lifelong love of Koko the gorilla, Alex the parrot, and all animals who can communicate clearly with humans. Gorillas in the Mist was a huge breakthrough movie for me. This book about Jane Goodall and her chimpanzees reaffirms all I thought true about the amazing inspirational woman she is!
January 25, 2015
Weird details kids will love. Jane's done a lot but the pacing doesn't get bogged down in any area of her life. From how she became "Jane Goodall" to the implication of her work on into how technology is changing the way we see and study wild animals. Brilliant full color photography from Nat. Geo's archives along with glimpses into Jane's own sketchbooks.
June 20, 2015
I have loved Jane Goodall and her chimpanzees . I have watched every program she has ever done. This book is written by Anita Silvey with a forward by Jane Goodall. She always loved animal as a child so it no surprise she became a scientist. She has spent so much of her life with these chimps. The problem now is they are losing their habitat. She is trying to do something about that.
March 8, 2016
Gorgeous and inspirational. The layout and design are has good as the information and storytelling. Get this book in the hands of young readers, especially young women, and you will have done and good deed and helped our planet. Our world is a better place because of Jane Goodall, and National Geographic's commitment to conservation and education is evident in Untamed.
July 13, 2016
Very interesting story with great pictures. Sometimes it was repetitive. Jane was a great woman who has done fantastic things, even though I do not agree with her world view. I am made in the image of God, not a product of chance over millions of years. I will get this book for my classroom library.
April 2, 2019
My family had the great opportunity to see Jane Goodall speak in person last month. The 11-year-old and I picked out a couple of books to learn more about her. While the book covered much of what we knew about Jane from her speech, we learned lots of new information about her and her animals from this book. It's an inspiring and informative biography for young readers. The selected photography complements the story perfectly. Two thumbs up!
October 12, 2022
Truly inspiring!
October 14, 2015
If we could all learn to observe and understand primate behavior the way Jane Goodall has, the world would be a better place!
Opening:
In recent polls, Jane Goodall has been chosen as the most recognized living scientist in the Western world. She became famous because of her ability to observe and connect with chimpanzees.
Synopsis:
We are first introduced to the young Jane and her interest in animal life from an early age, from placing earth worms under her pillow aged 18 months, to spending hours watching an egg hatch aged 5. Pursuing her passion and always encouraged by her mother, she went to Gombe as a young woman, where she was fortunate to meet Louis Leakey who took her on as his protégé. Jane studied chimpanzees in their native habitat. Through months and months of observation she discovered things previous field observers hadn’t about chimpanzees intelligence and social habits. She learnt to survive in the African wilderness, going for hours without food and drink. The early years as a young female researcher were very challenging, but she persevered and eventually came to the world’s attention in 1960s via a National Geographic article and television show. As she became better known, she slowly changed her emphasis and since the ’80s, her focus has been more toward conservation and education to ensure her work continues and multiplies. Now in her 80’s she still travels for the majority of the year worldwide to encourage others to to battle for our planet. She has founded three organizations to achieve these goals.
Why I like This Book:
There have been a couple of delightful picture book biographies about Jane Goodall to be published in the past few years, but this book fills a gap for slightly older children (and adults) in offering 96 pages of fascinating facts and illustrations of this extraordinary life of research, passion and empowering of others. This is a tremendous introduction to this famous primatologist and activist, informative, inviting, and inspirational. They layout is eye-catching and easy to follow with good sidebar information that doesn’t break the flow of the main text, great photos, tips from Jane for young people interested in animals, clear back matter,uggested further reading, and even a guide to the types of African plants included as decorative backgrounds on some spreads and an attractive book design that extends to the endpapers.
The message is dynamic and informative and at the same time deeply personal, full of colorful photographs of her childhood and career. Jane Goodall encourages readers to get involved at home and in her organizations. There are things they can do to support conservation wherever they are. Her example to girls and boys of being a self-taught scientist and a lifetime of devotion to her passion is an important one.
Anita Silvey has again demonstrated her skill at creating a very accessible nonfiction text with just enough, and fascinating detail to keep children immersed in this reading experience. National Geographic has excelled in the visual appeal of this biography.
I recommend this as a gift for any nature lover and great addition to schools for any units on conservation, female scientists, primates etc
Opening:
In recent polls, Jane Goodall has been chosen as the most recognized living scientist in the Western world. She became famous because of her ability to observe and connect with chimpanzees.
Synopsis:
We are first introduced to the young Jane and her interest in animal life from an early age, from placing earth worms under her pillow aged 18 months, to spending hours watching an egg hatch aged 5. Pursuing her passion and always encouraged by her mother, she went to Gombe as a young woman, where she was fortunate to meet Louis Leakey who took her on as his protégé. Jane studied chimpanzees in their native habitat. Through months and months of observation she discovered things previous field observers hadn’t about chimpanzees intelligence and social habits. She learnt to survive in the African wilderness, going for hours without food and drink. The early years as a young female researcher were very challenging, but she persevered and eventually came to the world’s attention in 1960s via a National Geographic article and television show. As she became better known, she slowly changed her emphasis and since the ’80s, her focus has been more toward conservation and education to ensure her work continues and multiplies. Now in her 80’s she still travels for the majority of the year worldwide to encourage others to to battle for our planet. She has founded three organizations to achieve these goals.
Why I like This Book:
There have been a couple of delightful picture book biographies about Jane Goodall to be published in the past few years, but this book fills a gap for slightly older children (and adults) in offering 96 pages of fascinating facts and illustrations of this extraordinary life of research, passion and empowering of others. This is a tremendous introduction to this famous primatologist and activist, informative, inviting, and inspirational. They layout is eye-catching and easy to follow with good sidebar information that doesn’t break the flow of the main text, great photos, tips from Jane for young people interested in animals, clear back matter,uggested further reading, and even a guide to the types of African plants included as decorative backgrounds on some spreads and an attractive book design that extends to the endpapers.
The message is dynamic and informative and at the same time deeply personal, full of colorful photographs of her childhood and career. Jane Goodall encourages readers to get involved at home and in her organizations. There are things they can do to support conservation wherever they are. Her example to girls and boys of being a self-taught scientist and a lifetime of devotion to her passion is an important one.
Anita Silvey has again demonstrated her skill at creating a very accessible nonfiction text with just enough, and fascinating detail to keep children immersed in this reading experience. National Geographic has excelled in the visual appeal of this biography.
I recommend this as a gift for any nature lover and great addition to schools for any units on conservation, female scientists, primates etc
March 18, 2016
Silvey, A. (2015). Untamed: The wild life of Jane Goodall. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.
McDonnell, P. (2011). Me…Jane. New York, NY: Little, Brown, & Company.
I chose two books about Jane Goodall for this twin text set. Untamed is a non-fiction biography that tells about Jane Goodall’s life in great detail, as well as explaining her work and the impact she has made on the world. Me…Jane pairs well with it because it tells about Jane’s childhood in a narrative, more relatable way. I think it would enhance Untamed because it explains how Jane’s childhood interests led to her career working with chimpanzees. This could inspire children to turn their current interests into successful careers.
Untamed has several non-fiction text structures. The parts focused on Jane’s life are in a chronological sequence, there are several parts about her career which follow a descriptive structure, and there are some parts with a cause-effect structure where the author describes how Jane Goodall has had an impact on the animal world and other scientists. There are also many interesting text features that students would enjoy exploring: a foreword by Jane Goodall, table of contents, headings, Jane’s field notes, photos, captions, sidebars, timeline, maps, and an index.
One way to have students connect these texts would be to have them use a Venn diagram to compare how each book represents Jane’s childhood and her decision to become a scientist. Students could also compare the primary documents (drawings, photos, etc.) in each book and discuss how they help readers understand Jane better.
McDonnell, P. (2011). Me…Jane. New York, NY: Little, Brown, & Company.
I chose two books about Jane Goodall for this twin text set. Untamed is a non-fiction biography that tells about Jane Goodall’s life in great detail, as well as explaining her work and the impact she has made on the world. Me…Jane pairs well with it because it tells about Jane’s childhood in a narrative, more relatable way. I think it would enhance Untamed because it explains how Jane’s childhood interests led to her career working with chimpanzees. This could inspire children to turn their current interests into successful careers.
Untamed has several non-fiction text structures. The parts focused on Jane’s life are in a chronological sequence, there are several parts about her career which follow a descriptive structure, and there are some parts with a cause-effect structure where the author describes how Jane Goodall has had an impact on the animal world and other scientists. There are also many interesting text features that students would enjoy exploring: a foreword by Jane Goodall, table of contents, headings, Jane’s field notes, photos, captions, sidebars, timeline, maps, and an index.
One way to have students connect these texts would be to have them use a Venn diagram to compare how each book represents Jane’s childhood and her decision to become a scientist. Students could also compare the primary documents (drawings, photos, etc.) in each book and discuss how they help readers understand Jane better.
December 22, 2015
Jane Goodall has loved animals for her entire life, and from a young age it was her dream to travel to Africa. In her early twenties, she got the chance of a lifetime when Louis Leakey recruited her to study chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream Game Reserve in what is now Tanzania. Untrained and with unusual research methods, Jane nonetheless made important scientific discoveries, such as being the first to observe a nonhuman animal (chimps) using tools. Jane soon became a scientific celebrity and expanded her research efforts to include training new scientists. Later she also became a fierce advocate for animal welfare and conservation. Now in her eighties, Jane continues to be one of the most recognized scientists in the world, although in her heart she will always belong with her chimps in Gombe.
Jane Goodall is a fascinating person, and this book was a great overview of her life, including many photographs and interview highlights. I personally find it hard to read nonfiction that has a lot of captions and boxes of information - I get so distracted and confused about what order to read them in! - but that's not the fault of the book. I'm mostly struck with how inspiring Jane's life story is. She wasn't trained to observe wild animals, but she figured out her own methods which lead to some amazing discoveries. And she continues to inspire young people who want to help animals.
I would recommend this book to grades 4-8, especially those who love animals and may want to work with them someday.
Jane Goodall is a fascinating person, and this book was a great overview of her life, including many photographs and interview highlights. I personally find it hard to read nonfiction that has a lot of captions and boxes of information - I get so distracted and confused about what order to read them in! - but that's not the fault of the book. I'm mostly struck with how inspiring Jane's life story is. She wasn't trained to observe wild animals, but she figured out her own methods which lead to some amazing discoveries. And she continues to inspire young people who want to help animals.
I would recommend this book to grades 4-8, especially those who love animals and may want to work with them someday.
January 10, 2016
This is a very excellent biography of Jane Goodall. Reading this, I realized I knew very little about Goodall. This fills in the blanks: you'll learn about her groundbreaking research studying chimps in the wild, but you'll also learn a lot about her enduring legacy and the work she is involved with today. She is an amazing woman: strong, curious, dedicated, and completely driven by her love for animals. I'd always respected Goodall, but reading this made me realize just how amazing she is. (Her mother was also super awesome, as well--I'd love to read a biography about her!)
Budding scientists and animals lovers will find a lot to love here. A great choice for upper elementary and middle school readers. My only tiny complaint is the layout of the book--while mostly really nice--could get a little too busy when captioning some of the photographs. Some photographs had multiple bubbles around them describing them--I thought that didn't flow super well. But, otherwise, it was a gorgeous book just chock full of beautiful photographs and a lot of really interesting information.
Budding scientists and animals lovers will find a lot to love here. A great choice for upper elementary and middle school readers. My only tiny complaint is the layout of the book--while mostly really nice--could get a little too busy when captioning some of the photographs. Some photographs had multiple bubbles around them describing them--I thought that didn't flow super well. But, otherwise, it was a gorgeous book just chock full of beautiful photographs and a lot of really interesting information.
August 1, 2015
She had gone to Africa because of her love of animals; in the end, her devotion to the chimpanzees of Gombe made her realize that she should fight for their rights and for the rights of all other animals on earth.
A delightful and interesting biography of one of the most recognized and accomplished researchers and advocates for animals! Jane Goodall’s lifelong interest in animals began very early, where her curiosity led to many memorable family stories. Plenty of photographs include her childhood in England, her early work with the chimpanzees of Gombe under the mentorship of Louis Leakey, and many more through her 55 years of research with the chimpanzees. Many sidebars include information about the animals and people she has worked with over the years. Jane Goodall has led an amazing life of purpose, and this book is a tribute to her intelligence and drive to make the world a better place. 6th grade and up.
A delightful and interesting biography of one of the most recognized and accomplished researchers and advocates for animals! Jane Goodall’s lifelong interest in animals began very early, where her curiosity led to many memorable family stories. Plenty of photographs include her childhood in England, her early work with the chimpanzees of Gombe under the mentorship of Louis Leakey, and many more through her 55 years of research with the chimpanzees. Many sidebars include information about the animals and people she has worked with over the years. Jane Goodall has led an amazing life of purpose, and this book is a tribute to her intelligence and drive to make the world a better place. 6th grade and up.
December 15, 2015
Untamed The Wild Life of Jane Goodall by Anita Silvey. Is well about the wild life of Jane Goodall. And how she learned how to love and care for the chimps all ages and sizes and how her friends were there for her and gave her a birthday cake on most of her birthdays they made her blow out her candles.
I liked this book because one of my favorite animals is a monkey and I just loved how she went out of her way to take care and study and dedicate her time for those chimps and I bet most of them don't even know what's going on half of the time but I bet the leader of the pack has some sort of idea of what she is doing for them.
I recommend this book to people who are very interested in Jane of the interactions of the chimps and Jane.
I liked this book because one of my favorite animals is a monkey and I just loved how she went out of her way to take care and study and dedicate her time for those chimps and I bet most of them don't even know what's going on half of the time but I bet the leader of the pack has some sort of idea of what she is doing for them.
I recommend this book to people who are very interested in Jane of the interactions of the chimps and Jane.
February 8, 2017
Excellent biography of Jane Goodall, covering her childhood through age 80. Has tons of color photographs, and is nicely designed with one and two page spreads on individual plants and animals of the Gombe--text is laid over a color screened image of a plant, different ones on different pages, giving a more well-rounded look at the habitat of the chimpanzees Jane studied. Photos are full-page "bleeds" in a visually exciting design. All the photos also have informative captions that give additional information not found in the text; I love books that do that, it feels like a reward for reading the captions! Excellent bibliography and sources. Winner of the 2016 Norman A. Sugarman Children's Biography Award from Cleveland Public Library.
July 20, 2015
This fantastic biography of Jane Goodall includes amazing photography and just the right amount of background information about African animals and Jane's chimps. The layout is beautiful and back matter includes a time line, suggested further reading, and even a guide to the types of African plants included as decorative backgrounds on some spreads. It's clear that a lot of thought was put into the layout of this book to make the content pop even more.
August 23, 2015
Jane Goodall has always been one of my heroes and this was another fantastic National Geographic production.
The graphics are wonderful and the story begins in her childhood. It is personal to begin with and then follows her career as it begins and develops. Woven throughout the story of her life are tips for how to observe nature with excerpts from Jane's journals. Also included are sidebars about the various chimpanzees Jane had contact with and their stories.
Just a perfect, lovely book.
The graphics are wonderful and the story begins in her childhood. It is personal to begin with and then follows her career as it begins and develops. Woven throughout the story of her life are tips for how to observe nature with excerpts from Jane's journals. Also included are sidebars about the various chimpanzees Jane had contact with and their stories.
Just a perfect, lovely book.
October 17, 2016
An excellent work! The photographs are beautiful and captioned with very interesting information. There are informational insets and pages throughout the narrative that explain more about Ms. Goodall's work or particular chimpanzees. At the conclusion of the book there are resources about chimpanzees and the area of the world they are found in addition to recommendations for further reading. A very interesting and yet quickly read biography.
September 30, 2022
Not sure why I have this obsession with Jane Goodall....but I do. So when I had to make a sample presentation for my students on an environmentalist, author, or civil rights activist, Goodall was the obvious choice. This book is for children, probably best for middle/early high school. It's not too dense and overwhelming, but still thorough, filled with lots of photographs, maps, data, etc. Great read and a great source of information!
October 25, 2015
Nice biography of Goodall. Some focus on how kids can help environment and community. A little didactic. One weird factual slip p 37 baboons described as 'unlike many other monkeys in not having prehensile tails' when NO African or old world monkeys have prehensile tails. Worth having for proto-environmentalists, fans
Of Jane Goodall- and who isn't- and those who loved Ottoviani's Primates.
Of Jane Goodall- and who isn't- and those who loved Ottoviani's Primates.
January 17, 2016
4.5 stars. Who can resist the baby chimp photo on the front cover? Clean and neat layout of text and fabulous nature photos - more chimps - in this bio of the famous researcher. I didn't know she got her start so young. Extensive back matter. For readers who are ready for more than The Watcher by Jeanette Winter but not quite ready for Goodall's books.
June 30, 2015
A great middle-grade nonfiction choice, Untamed tells the story of Jane Goodall and the chimpanzees that she dedicated her life to studying. The text is complemented by an array of gorgeous photographs, infographics, and maps that will appeal to visual learners. Highly recommend this for grades 5-8.
September 28, 2015
A comprehensive biography with fabulous photography should provide students in grades 4 and up with a true appreciation of this pioneering natural scientist. It is easy to follow Goodall's progress from the child who adores animals, to the earnest observer of chimpanzees and on to the woman on a mission to save the planet. An excellent addition to the biography shelf.
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