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Gorilla Dawn
The thrilling, heartbreaking, and inspirational new story from award-winning storyteller Gill Lewis. Deep in the heart of the African jungle, a baby gorilla is captured by a group of rebel soldiers. Imara and Bobo are two children also imprisoned in the rebels' camp. When they learn that the gorilla is destined to be sold into captivity, they swear to return it to the wild before it's too late. But the consequences of getting caught are too terrible to think about.
Will the bond between the gorilla and the children give them the courage they need to escape?
Will the bond between the gorilla and the children give them the courage they need to escape?
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2015
22 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Gill Lewis
77 books102 followersBefore she could walk, Gill Lewis was discovered force-feeding bread to a sick hedgehog under the rose bushes. Now her stories reflect her passion for wild animals in wild places. She draws inspiration from many of the people she has had the fortune to meet during her work as a vet, both at home and abroad. Gill Lewis has a masters degree in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University and won the 2009 course prize for most promising writer. Her first novel was snapped up for publication within hours of being offered to publishers. She lives in Somerset with her young family and a motley crew of pets. She writes from a shed in the garden, in the company of spiders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
June 18, 2018
Engaging story; sad how we (humans) harm and destroy our world and its resources
June 3, 2016
Good story, well written. Gripping, I wanted to know what happened to the boy and the gorilla baby.
Aimed at/suitable for 11,12 or 13yr olds (boys and girls). I even enjoyed it as an adult.
Throughly recommended.
Aimed at/suitable for 11,12 or 13yr olds (boys and girls). I even enjoyed it as an adult.
Throughly recommended.
July 31, 2017
Imara is a young girl who has at some point been hurt and taken from her family and village, and now travels as the "spirit child" with the Black Mambas, a rebel group that steals valuable minerals from the Congo forest and terrorizes local villages. Imara listens to the demon inside her to advise the Mambas, but she realizes any day with this violent gang could be her last. And after what she's been through, she doesn't much care, until a baby gorilla she calls Kitswana falls into her life, and she suddenly has a reason to survive and escape. This was just ok for me. I ever really got why the Black Mamba leader listened to her, and was the demon just her own voice, or was there supposed to be some supernatural element going on? Not sure, and didn't care.
August 23, 2020
Gorilla Dawn is a book I picked up at a Scholastic Warehouse sale based solely on Goodreads ratings. Considering I had never heard of the book before and there were so few ratings, I didn’t have particularly high expectations. Surprisingly, it was a hit! The 13-year-old and I really enjoyed it. The story is engaging and thought-provoking. It’s an excellent book to expose young readers to the negative effects mining can have on families, communities, endangered animals, natural resources, and the environment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s a great book for further research and discussion. Two thumbs up. I’d recommend this one for the middle school crowd.
January 7, 2024
A difficult one to rate as I enjoyed it when reading, but never felt inclined to pick it up. Description of emotions, settings and interactions were great. Perhaps just not my cup of tea ☕
January 12, 2018
I chose this book because of my love of Dian Fossey and her work with gorillas. I have been fascinated with her work and Jane Goodall's work and have read their books. This book I saw at a book scan and was immediately drawn to it, and was so excited to see it at our intermediate library new shelf. I was nervous at first because the situation Imara is in at the beginning of the story is very realistic and violent, but Lewis does a fabulous job telling Imara's story in a sensitive and age appropriate way. Lewis toggles between Imara's story, Bobo's story and the baby gorilla Kitwana's story, and I think this is a very effective to understanding the characters better and making them even more real and relatable to the reader. I think that this story holds so much truth to the dangers gorillas and people face in the Congo as they are trying to live their lives. It made me even more aware of the dangers of gorilla extinction and how current technologies continue to fuel the destruction of the rainforests and endangers all that live and thrive there. This book is powerful and showcases the power of hope and the strength of change one person can bring to a situation. I love this book and recommend it highly.
February 18, 2016
Gill Lewis has done it again - created a big themed story, introducing us to a part of the world most of us won't ever visit, some of us may not even be able to find on a map, but makes us curious and with that draws out empathy and compassion for people and an environment which in some senses feels far from our own, and yet has a very real connection with our every day life.
Give this to your pre-teen and insist they read it before you will give in to their requests for their own mobile phone.
Give this to your pre-teen and insist they read it before you will give in to their requests for their own mobile phone.
August 13, 2018
All of Gill Lewis's books are intense in their truth, but this is by far the most intense. Militaristic and violent rebels in Congo, habitat destruction, death, and so much violence - it was a hard read in that respect. That it is all based on true things happening, funded by our blindness and desire for easy fun new tech, makes it even harder. 24/30 #30booksummer
November 20, 2025
A rare look at DR Congo, likely written for readers on the upper edge of middle grade, but given the intense of action, the emotional depth, and the difficult themes, it could also work well for YA readers.
The writing is quite good. I was immediately drawn into Imara's story, a girl who has lived with the rebel group Black Mamba for as long as she can remember. The multiple perspectives worked surprisingly well, with sections from Bobo (the son of a park ranger who cares for gorillas), and even from the perspective of the baby gorilla itself. The characters feel believable, the plot is fast paced and keeps you going through it, and the story tugs at your heart strings. I'm not really an animal story person but the relationship between Imara and the gorilla is pretty sweet, especially in the context of Imara's struggles and character arc.
Content wise, there is nothing sexual, no language, and the violence is almost always off camera. Pretty remarkable (and almost unrealistic) given the context of the story, but it somehow works! And even so, the novel is quite intense for young readers. Imara is traumatized and hardened; rebels raid villages, capture children and force them to work as child soldiers; Bobo's father is shot and dies; and the children in the story are often in danger.
There are some faults. Bobo's father delivers an entire cheesy paragraph to his son about the sun rising, the interconnectedness of nature, and why we should give our lives to save the earth. It is repeated word for word by Bobo to Imara towards the end of the novel. Could have been condensed or eliminated. And Imara's choices at the end felt a bit more motivated by the author's beliefs than her own motivations. A few key edits, especially to the dialogue, could have easily made the same choice feel more believable. It also seems an oversight that there is no mention of Bobo needing to heal from his traumatic experiences, despite him having had to participate in a raid as a child soldier.
A word on spirituality. Imara and the others around her believe she has a demon inside her which protects the rebels and warns of danger. This is motivated by the fact that she has been bitten by a black mamba and didn't die. She is called the spirit child by many characters in the book, and many fear/revere her. In addition, throughout the story, the "demon" talks to her and guides her actions. It's important to realize, however, that she isn't actually possessed. Rather it's the inner voice of her trauma - extremely sensitive to danger, intuitive of people's motivations, urging her to be strong and not trust others, all in order to avoid future hurt. It's a pretty powerful narrative device, and shows her character struggle but could be confusing or disturbing to some readers. Somewhat oddly (given the cultural context), there is no religion/spirituality mentioned apart from Imara's alleged but false powers. I've found this a pretty common oversight in novels set in Africa but written by westerners - the spirituality is often either completely omitted or proven false.
All in all, it was worth the read! Will especially appeal to readers interested in a central African culture and setting, social issues like corrupt mining practices and the use of child soldiers, or environmental issues like conservation and animal welfare.
The writing is quite good. I was immediately drawn into Imara's story, a girl who has lived with the rebel group Black Mamba for as long as she can remember. The multiple perspectives worked surprisingly well, with sections from Bobo (the son of a park ranger who cares for gorillas), and even from the perspective of the baby gorilla itself. The characters feel believable, the plot is fast paced and keeps you going through it, and the story tugs at your heart strings. I'm not really an animal story person but the relationship between Imara and the gorilla is pretty sweet, especially in the context of Imara's struggles and character arc.
Content wise, there is nothing sexual, no language, and the violence is almost always off camera. Pretty remarkable (and almost unrealistic) given the context of the story, but it somehow works! And even so, the novel is quite intense for young readers. Imara is traumatized and hardened; rebels raid villages, capture children and force them to work as child soldiers; Bobo's father is shot and dies; and the children in the story are often in danger.
There are some faults. Bobo's father delivers an entire cheesy paragraph to his son about the sun rising, the interconnectedness of nature, and why we should give our lives to save the earth. It is repeated word for word by Bobo to Imara towards the end of the novel. Could have been condensed or eliminated. And Imara's choices at the end felt a bit more motivated by the author's beliefs than her own motivations. A few key edits, especially to the dialogue, could have easily made the same choice feel more believable. It also seems an oversight that there is no mention of Bobo needing to heal from his traumatic experiences, despite him having had to participate in a raid as a child soldier.
A word on spirituality. Imara and the others around her believe she has a demon inside her which protects the rebels and warns of danger. This is motivated by the fact that she has been bitten by a black mamba and didn't die. She is called the spirit child by many characters in the book, and many fear/revere her. In addition, throughout the story, the "demon" talks to her and guides her actions. It's important to realize, however, that she isn't actually possessed. Rather it's the inner voice of her trauma - extremely sensitive to danger, intuitive of people's motivations, urging her to be strong and not trust others, all in order to avoid future hurt. It's a pretty powerful narrative device, and shows her character struggle but could be confusing or disturbing to some readers. Somewhat oddly (given the cultural context), there is no religion/spirituality mentioned apart from Imara's alleged but false powers. I've found this a pretty common oversight in novels set in Africa but written by westerners - the spirituality is often either completely omitted or proven false.
All in all, it was worth the read! Will especially appeal to readers interested in a central African culture and setting, social issues like corrupt mining practices and the use of child soldiers, or environmental issues like conservation and animal welfare.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2018
I don’t want to reveal too many surprises, but there’s hope in this story. It’s a wonderful feeling, especially with all the violence and horror that exists to beat hope down.
The setting is the DR Congo, deep in the jungle, close to the border with Rwanda. One of the last gorilla habitats on earth. It’s both fascinating and disturbing to discover how rare metals mining, extreme poverty and greed all work together to threaten the gorillas as well as the native people. One quote from Lewis in particular sticks with me. “Since the outbreak of fighting in the 1990s, over five million people have died as a result of the violence. It has been the deadliest conflict since World War Two.”
Imara has the saddest story to tell, and she is by far the strongest character. She’s kidnapped by rebels, who believe she’s a spirit child. Imara realizes her only chance for survival is to throw her heart into that role. She can be very convincing, but her inner demon is much more powerful than anything she can conjure for others.
Bobo is the other central character among the children. He’s the son of a park ranger, devoted to his homeland as it gets squeezed between competing interests.
Certainly I want Imara and Bobo and the rest of the good guys to win. But only if the bad guys can be equally convincing in defeat. Lewis portrays the rebels as money and power-hungry butchers, but she also makes them impossibly hesitant and naive. That paradox serves the plot well enough, but a fair amount of believability is lost in the bargain.
All for a good cause, I suppose. This is the kind of story that can inspire students to be activists, and adults to re-examine the course of our lives.
The setting is the DR Congo, deep in the jungle, close to the border with Rwanda. One of the last gorilla habitats on earth. It’s both fascinating and disturbing to discover how rare metals mining, extreme poverty and greed all work together to threaten the gorillas as well as the native people. One quote from Lewis in particular sticks with me. “Since the outbreak of fighting in the 1990s, over five million people have died as a result of the violence. It has been the deadliest conflict since World War Two.”
Imara has the saddest story to tell, and she is by far the strongest character. She’s kidnapped by rebels, who believe she’s a spirit child. Imara realizes her only chance for survival is to throw her heart into that role. She can be very convincing, but her inner demon is much more powerful than anything she can conjure for others.
Bobo is the other central character among the children. He’s the son of a park ranger, devoted to his homeland as it gets squeezed between competing interests.
Certainly I want Imara and Bobo and the rest of the good guys to win. But only if the bad guys can be equally convincing in defeat. Lewis portrays the rebels as money and power-hungry butchers, but she also makes them impossibly hesitant and naive. That paradox serves the plot well enough, but a fair amount of believability is lost in the bargain.
All for a good cause, I suppose. This is the kind of story that can inspire students to be activists, and adults to re-examine the course of our lives.
May 21, 2018
I don’t want to reveal too many surprises, but there’s hope in this story. It’s a wonderful feeling, especially with all the violence and horror that exists to beat hope down.
The setting is the DR Congo, deep in the jungle, close to the border with Rwanda. One of the last gorilla habitats on earth. It’s both fascinating and disturbing to discover how rare metals mining, extreme poverty and greed all work together to threaten the gorillas as well as the native people. One quote from Lewis in particular sticks with me. “Since the outbreak of fighting in the 1990s, over five million people have died as a result of the violence. It has been the deadliest conflict since World War Two.”
Imara has the saddest story to tell, and she is by far the strongest character. She’s kidnapped by rebels, who believe she’s a spirit child. Imara realizes her only chance for survival is to throw her heart into that role. She can be very convincing, but her inner demon is much more powerful than anything she can conjure for others.
Bobo is the other central character among the children. He’s the son of a park ranger, devoted to his homeland as it gets squeezed between competing interests.
Certainly I want Imara and Bobo and the rest of the good guys to win. But only if the bad guys can be equally convincing in defeat. Lewis portrays the rebels as money and power-hungry butchers, but she also makes them impossibly hesitant and naive. That paradox serves the plot well enough, but a fair amount of believability is lost in the bargain.
All for a good cause, I suppose. This is the kind of story that can inspire students to be activists, and adults to re-examine the course of our lives.
The setting is the DR Congo, deep in the jungle, close to the border with Rwanda. One of the last gorilla habitats on earth. It’s both fascinating and disturbing to discover how rare metals mining, extreme poverty and greed all work together to threaten the gorillas as well as the native people. One quote from Lewis in particular sticks with me. “Since the outbreak of fighting in the 1990s, over five million people have died as a result of the violence. It has been the deadliest conflict since World War Two.”
Imara has the saddest story to tell, and she is by far the strongest character. She’s kidnapped by rebels, who believe she’s a spirit child. Imara realizes her only chance for survival is to throw her heart into that role. She can be very convincing, but her inner demon is much more powerful than anything she can conjure for others.
Bobo is the other central character among the children. He’s the son of a park ranger, devoted to his homeland as it gets squeezed between competing interests.
Certainly I want Imara and Bobo and the rest of the good guys to win. But only if the bad guys can be equally convincing in defeat. Lewis portrays the rebels as money and power-hungry butchers, but she also makes them impossibly hesitant and naive. That paradox serves the plot well enough, but a fair amount of believability is lost in the bargain.
All for a good cause, I suppose. This is the kind of story that can inspire students to be activists, and adults to re-examine the course of our lives.
December 28, 2017
Lewis, Gill, Gorilla Dawn, 405 pages. Atheneum 2017, $17.00. Language: G(0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo Bobo and Irma are having a normal day when the Black Mamba and soldiers come. Bobo was in the jungle and he sees the soldiers take a baby gorilla. When Bobo and Irma find out that the soldiers have taken the gorilla to their camps they are furious and set off on an adventure to save the baby gorilla. Bobo and Irma go on a quest to try and save the baby gorilla they run into many challenges on the way and run into menacing characters along the way such as Black Mamba and Rat.
If I lived in the time and place that they did, I would for sure want Bobo and Irma to be my friends. I could trust them and always rely on them to come help me at any time they would risk their life for any living soul. I know I would have great fun with them and play with them all the time. I wish they made a movie out of this book it would be a great movie with all the detail and action. This book gave me some heartache too, because they live in a country with lots of fighting.
EL-OPTIONAL, MS-ADVISABLE. BRS, Student Reviewer, 7th grade
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
In the Democratic Republic of Congo Bobo and Irma are having a normal day when the Black Mamba and soldiers come. Bobo was in the jungle and he sees the soldiers take a baby gorilla. When Bobo and Irma find out that the soldiers have taken the gorilla to their camps they are furious and set off on an adventure to save the baby gorilla. Bobo and Irma go on a quest to try and save the baby gorilla they run into many challenges on the way and run into menacing characters along the way such as Black Mamba and Rat.
If I lived in the time and place that they did, I would for sure want Bobo and Irma to be my friends. I could trust them and always rely on them to come help me at any time they would risk their life for any living soul. I know I would have great fun with them and play with them all the time. I wish they made a movie out of this book it would be a great movie with all the detail and action. This book gave me some heartache too, because they live in a country with lots of fighting.
EL-OPTIONAL, MS-ADVISABLE. BRS, Student Reviewer, 7th grade
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
May 8, 2018
I read this with my daughter and we both enjoyed it. It's not a book that talks down to kids and deals with some pretty hard-hitting themes: namely civil war and the illegal trade in endangered animals. As such, I wouldn't recommend it for the overly-sensitive reader as people and animals do get killed.
The best thing about the book is the central child characters of Amara and Bobo. Amara is considered a 'Spirit Child' who has been disfigured and hears voices on the demon inside her. Lewis writes this character sensitively and well so the reader is never completely sure whether the voice is really a demon, or just the voice of Amara's subconscious. Bobo is the son of a ranger and represents how the author clearly thinks that humans should interact with the animals we share the planet with.
I think novels like this help children to understand their role as global citizens and the importance of understanding other countries and other cultures.
The best thing about the book is the central child characters of Amara and Bobo. Amara is considered a 'Spirit Child' who has been disfigured and hears voices on the demon inside her. Lewis writes this character sensitively and well so the reader is never completely sure whether the voice is really a demon, or just the voice of Amara's subconscious. Bobo is the son of a ranger and represents how the author clearly thinks that humans should interact with the animals we share the planet with.
I think novels like this help children to understand their role as global citizens and the importance of understanding other countries and other cultures.
September 7, 2017
Imara is a spirit child. She had a mother once, but that was long ago. Now she is the child of the devil and must use her powers to keep her captors safe. They are rough men who raid villages and do not allow the weak to survive, so she must show them she is strong. Her life changes when these men kill a silverback gorilla to kidnap its baby and sell it as a pet. Imara's loyalties are torn as she finally allows herself to care about another being.
This is a moving story of children and one gorilla overcoming the odds to find a better life. Lewis manages to show some of the horrors that faces child soldiers without being too graphic in his descriptions. The illustrations, while beautiful, seem skewed to an audience younger than I would give this to, considering it's content. Give this to animal lovers.
This is a moving story of children and one gorilla overcoming the odds to find a better life. Lewis manages to show some of the horrors that faces child soldiers without being too graphic in his descriptions. The illustrations, while beautiful, seem skewed to an audience younger than I would give this to, considering it's content. Give this to animal lovers.
February 6, 2022
This is a beautifully written book. I thoroughly recommend it for teens and adults, but the main focus of the story is the lived experiences of child soldiers and therefore not appropriate for middle grade children. Our 9 year old has just discovered Gill Lewis and is working her way through all of the books by this author, and I am reading them alongside her, although she is a few books ahead of me. She is in the middle of White Dolphin, and I am very pleased that I took the opportunity and skipped ahead and read this one before her. It is a brilliantly written book, and is a heartbreaking experience to read. It includes Gill Lewis’ trademark beautiful descriptions of the natural world, but the descriptions of the experiences of the children are so well done that the fear and the desperation are all too real. I am not ready to shatter the innocence of my children by sharing this book with them at this time. The time will come soon enough when they are mature enough for the experience of reading this book and we will then be able to discuss the themes together.
October 16, 2023
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I learned that many of the minerals used to make cell phones and other electronic devices are sourced in the Congo. Tantalum, found in ore coltan, is mined by hand in the home of the eastern lowland gorilla. It is estimated that only 10 percent of the gorilla habitat will remain by 2032. The gorillas are also under threat from poaching for bush meat, the illegal pet trade, and Ebola.
The Congo is rich in minerals and resources, but is one of the poorest countries in the world due to exploitation. Global capitalists have funded violence in the region which had resulted in over 5 million deaths since the 1990s, making it the deadliest conflict since WWII.
-from "Dear Reader" at the end of the book
I learned that many of the minerals used to make cell phones and other electronic devices are sourced in the Congo. Tantalum, found in ore coltan, is mined by hand in the home of the eastern lowland gorilla. It is estimated that only 10 percent of the gorilla habitat will remain by 2032. The gorillas are also under threat from poaching for bush meat, the illegal pet trade, and Ebola.
The Congo is rich in minerals and resources, but is one of the poorest countries in the world due to exploitation. Global capitalists have funded violence in the region which had resulted in over 5 million deaths since the 1990s, making it the deadliest conflict since WWII.
-from "Dear Reader" at the end of the book
August 5, 2021
For me this book was very interesting and entertaing it is also felt as if you once started reading it you would never want to finish it. This book is about a girl who lives in a small group of rebels under the command of a man called the black mamba. Her gang consequently find a small gorilla lurking in the jungle. The black mamba gang capture it and plan to sell it. The girl who is the spirit child of the black mamba does not want to give the gorilla away and consequently runs away with it . My favourite thing about this book was how the girl doesn’t remember her family but names the gorilla Kitwana which is her brothers name
January 11, 2022
Please I am begging you to read this book. But be careful of trigger warnings. I love this book with my entire heart. It was the first book that made me cry and was my first comfort read. The characters, the dynamics, the writing. There was this sense of the difference of the kids who was being introduced to this world, their purity and child-like ignorance and fear as they are harshly brought into this dangerous world, and then the maturity of the kids who had been in this world for a very long time. Heart-breaking and yet heart-warming all in one. I would do anything to read this for the first time.
January 19, 2019
My 10-year-old son usually likes listening to reading but is more likely to choose other activities over reading independently. He received Gorilla Dawn for a Christmas present, and once he got through the first few chapters, he was hooked. When he finished, he gave his sister a very long pitch to convince her to read it too (it's also unusual for him to talk in depth about what he is reading). I am thrilled and stopped by the library today for a stack of Gill Lewis books for him to pick up next.
May 23, 2019
Two children captured by a band of rebel soldiers in the Congo vow to protect an orphaned gorilla baby in this powerful, thought-provoking and vividly compelling novel from award-winning storyteller Gill Lewis.
Deep in the heart of the Congo, a baby gorilla is captured by a group of rebel soldiers. Imara and Bobo are also prisoners in the rebels’ camp. When they learn that the gorilla will be sold into captivity, they swear to return it to the wild before it’s too late. But the consequences of getting caught are too terrible to think about.
Deep in the heart of the Congo, a baby gorilla is captured by a group of rebel soldiers. Imara and Bobo are also prisoners in the rebels’ camp. When they learn that the gorilla will be sold into captivity, they swear to return it to the wild before it’s too late. But the consequences of getting caught are too terrible to think about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2019
My 9yo read this book before I did and then shoved it into my hands with a note that said “read it right away.” She absolutely LOVED this book, and so did I. It's a gorgeous story loaded with heart and love and truth. Set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it explores gorilla poaching and the mining of coltan from the rainforests that serve as the eastern lowland gorilla’s habitat. The story itself is superbly rendered with stunning imagery and attention to detail without feeling too heavy for kids. I recommend for both kids and adults!
January 10, 2021
This book has a target age of 9-14 and explores some pretty heavy issues. I am an adult who reads a lot of different genres, and I was moved by this book. It's pretty intense and deals with issues that we all should be aware of. That's the wonderful thing about books and reading: we grow as we read. It was easy for me to get into the back and I very much wanted to find out what happened to the main characters. I highly recommend it. If you are worried about how a child might react to this book, you could read it with them and the book would definitely give you lots to discuss about life.
April 13, 2023
Having travelled to Rwanda and trekked to see mountain gorillas I was intrigued by this book on my niece”s shelf. It didn’t disappoint. Well researched and written, it covers challenging topics of human greed, conflict minerals and environmental destruction and conservation through the eyes of children caught up in rebel wars in DCR.
Helpful facts and statistics at the end of the book, together with several calls to action challenge readers to learn more about the plight of these beautiful creatures.
Helpful facts and statistics at the end of the book, together with several calls to action challenge readers to learn more about the plight of these beautiful creatures.
April 9, 2018
This was boring, confusing, and ridiculous. What is that little girl doing, controlling men and being witchy? The plot was monotonous and slow. Nothing made sense. If this was a good book than I would've finished it easily. Alas, it took me so long to get through half the book that I started really hating it. I would give it no stars, but that doesn't really do anything so I'm giving it a generous one star.
May 31, 2022
Fantastic book! Picked this up on a whim from the library and was thoroughly drawn into the story. I studied a bit about child soldiers in Africa back in college, but this book tells a story of two children who are caught up in it - it's so much more emotional that way. This book does a great job of bringing a couple of topics to light in story format. I read it in a few sittings and would highly recommend it.
February 9, 2024
This is my favorite book ever like I have read it so many times and I have always enjoyed the whole story. By now I can probably read the book from memory. The whole story felt so real and I felt like I was with the characters in the story. In the end has always made me cry but it’s good tears of happiness for the main character. The book has great imagery from the rain forest to the people themselves. Over all this is a great book and you should totally read it !
February 24, 2024
Gill Lewis writes teen/children's fiction that encourages engagement with important and difficult issues, but her writing isn't preachy -- it is driven by well-crafted young protagonists and interesting plots. Gorilla Dawn is no exception. Set in the Congo, it delves into child soldiers, exploitation of the jungle in search of cobalt for mobile phones and of course gorillas and how humans protect or destroy these amazing creatures. Recommended for age 11+
June 24, 2017
Although this was somewhat confusing at first due to the female protagonist experiencing inner thoughts she attributed to the devil, and chapters the tension steadily climbed culminating in a breathtaking climax. I highly recommend this compelling book to children in 6th - 8th grade. Both boys and girls will like this one. An excellent candidate for a book club.
September 28, 2017
Awesome book, I really liked this book especially the plot. It was a little sad though when one of the main characters, "Frog", dies from being buried by a landslide. Overall it was a really good book full of adventure and finding where you belong. It also teaches about poachers in Congo and what they believe there. This book was full of surprises and mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2018
Outstanding novel!
Flavors of protecting mother earth, congo warfare, village life, spiritual notions
Listed as middle grade novel, but not for the faint of heart, almost more JH level
- begins with "demon" becoming part of girl child
- slaughtering of village people - not in detail but referenced
- death of gorillas
- corruption by leaders
- death of a father and a sibling included
Flavors of protecting mother earth, congo warfare, village life, spiritual notions
Listed as middle grade novel, but not for the faint of heart, almost more JH level
- begins with "demon" becoming part of girl child
- slaughtering of village people - not in detail but referenced
- death of gorillas
- corruption by leaders
- death of a father and a sibling included
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews