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Saving Manno: What a Baby Chimp Taught Me About Making the World a Better Place
An inspiring and uplifting memoir about one small-town teacher’s eye-opening travels around the world and his relentless efforts to rescue a chimp in danger.
As a child, Spencer Sekyer’s world was a simple one. He grew up in a small town, where many of his days were spent hunting in the woods and pursuing his dream of becoming a professional athlete. But when his athletic career ended, he found himself seeking new goals.
Spencer returned to school and became a teacher. Realizing he still had much to learn about the world, Spencer set out to explore its most dangerous areas. He traveled to Sierra Leone to volunteer in a local school, followed by trips to the West Bank, Afghanistan, and Haiti. Each time, Spencer returned home a little wiser, a little more emotionally mature, and a little more ready to give back to a world that had given him so much.
In Duhok, Kurdistan, Spencer’s journey took a new turn. After stumbling into a local zoo, Spencer formed an unlikely bond with Manno, a young chimpanzee who had been kidnapped from his family in central Africa and sold into captivity. Determined to get Manno back to his home, Spencer began to investigate the shadowy, dangerous world of global animal trafficking. Facing resistance at every turn, and with ISIS closing in on Duhok, Spencer finally set in motion an international effort to get his friend to safety, before it was too late.
Bursting with compassion, inspiration, and courage, Saving Manno is a testament to the fact that every one of us has the power to change lives and make the world a better place.
As a child, Spencer Sekyer’s world was a simple one. He grew up in a small town, where many of his days were spent hunting in the woods and pursuing his dream of becoming a professional athlete. But when his athletic career ended, he found himself seeking new goals.
Spencer returned to school and became a teacher. Realizing he still had much to learn about the world, Spencer set out to explore its most dangerous areas. He traveled to Sierra Leone to volunteer in a local school, followed by trips to the West Bank, Afghanistan, and Haiti. Each time, Spencer returned home a little wiser, a little more emotionally mature, and a little more ready to give back to a world that had given him so much.
In Duhok, Kurdistan, Spencer’s journey took a new turn. After stumbling into a local zoo, Spencer formed an unlikely bond with Manno, a young chimpanzee who had been kidnapped from his family in central Africa and sold into captivity. Determined to get Manno back to his home, Spencer began to investigate the shadowy, dangerous world of global animal trafficking. Facing resistance at every turn, and with ISIS closing in on Duhok, Spencer finally set in motion an international effort to get his friend to safety, before it was too late.
Bursting with compassion, inspiration, and courage, Saving Manno is a testament to the fact that every one of us has the power to change lives and make the world a better place.
- GenresCanadaNonfictionAnimals
224 pages, Hardcover
Published April 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 1, 2019
The story of a man employed as a social studies teacher in Canada who set out to experience the world and share his insights with his students. He had met his soul mate while walking his beloved dog in the park and they bonded over their love for their pets. His wife supported him emotionally as he set out to volunteer as a teacher overseas in impoverished and war-torn spots, and she even did some separate volunteer work herself in Uganda. Spencer Sekyer spent time teaching in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and as a veterinary assistant in Kurdistan.
In Sierra Leone, he managed to bring healthy running water to the school area along with a laptop and internet service. In Kabul, Afghanistan he adopted a stray dog and her puppies he found in a ditch, bringing them home to Canada. His most prolonged and heart-wrenching task started when he met a young chimpanzee, Manno, in a zoo in Kurdistan. He immediately bonded with the chimp, and his deep compassion and love for the animal led to a four-year struggle to save the animal and to remove him in a sanctuary in Africa to live out his life in a natural setting with other animals of the same species. It concerned the author that Manno was sleeping alone in a cage, was isolated from others of his kind, and that ISIS armies were quite close to the area.
The author is an inspiration, showing that although one person alone cannot change the world, everyone through compassion and dedication can make small changes for the better. His example hopefully will inspire his students and readers of this book to find ways to make small changes at home or abroad. If more people were like Mr. Sekyer the world would not see so many animal species becoming extinct, and more school children would be inspired to take a greater interest in the world and ways they could help even in their own communities. As a teacher, and in his actions he serves as a role model.
It was apparent while reading this book that Mr.Sekyer has an inordinate empathy for animals. His emotions swung from extremes of very deep lows of sorrow to high levels of joy marked by obsessiveness, (but with admirable and good results). We learn of the horror of the illegal business of trafficking in the illegal trade of exotic animals for huge sums of money. He describes his many journeys to Kurdistan to deal with government bureaucracy in his long goal to bring Manno to Kenya for Manno to finally bond with his new family of rescued chimpanzees in a Kenya sanctuary.
It was unclear to me how he obtained funding for all his trips overseas and back to his family in Canada. I thought the book would be more enriched by including photos of himself with his family and pets, schools and zoos where he worked abroad, and with some of Manno.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon& Schuster for this remarkable and memorable book.
In Sierra Leone, he managed to bring healthy running water to the school area along with a laptop and internet service. In Kabul, Afghanistan he adopted a stray dog and her puppies he found in a ditch, bringing them home to Canada. His most prolonged and heart-wrenching task started when he met a young chimpanzee, Manno, in a zoo in Kurdistan. He immediately bonded with the chimp, and his deep compassion and love for the animal led to a four-year struggle to save the animal and to remove him in a sanctuary in Africa to live out his life in a natural setting with other animals of the same species. It concerned the author that Manno was sleeping alone in a cage, was isolated from others of his kind, and that ISIS armies were quite close to the area.
The author is an inspiration, showing that although one person alone cannot change the world, everyone through compassion and dedication can make small changes for the better. His example hopefully will inspire his students and readers of this book to find ways to make small changes at home or abroad. If more people were like Mr. Sekyer the world would not see so many animal species becoming extinct, and more school children would be inspired to take a greater interest in the world and ways they could help even in their own communities. As a teacher, and in his actions he serves as a role model.
It was apparent while reading this book that Mr.Sekyer has an inordinate empathy for animals. His emotions swung from extremes of very deep lows of sorrow to high levels of joy marked by obsessiveness, (but with admirable and good results). We learn of the horror of the illegal business of trafficking in the illegal trade of exotic animals for huge sums of money. He describes his many journeys to Kurdistan to deal with government bureaucracy in his long goal to bring Manno to Kenya for Manno to finally bond with his new family of rescued chimpanzees in a Kenya sanctuary.
It was unclear to me how he obtained funding for all his trips overseas and back to his family in Canada. I thought the book would be more enriched by including photos of himself with his family and pets, schools and zoos where he worked abroad, and with some of Manno.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon& Schuster for this remarkable and memorable book.
February 8, 2019
Saving Manno is Spencer Sekyer's record of the process he went through, ending in 2013, in order to get young Chimp Manno moved from a private zoo in Duhok, Kurdistan into a refuge before he reaches adulthood. Adult Chimps are impossible to rescue. And politics in the Iraq/Turkey/Seria borders are very volatile - getting permission from everyone involved is going to be also almost impossible. But it is something Sekyer is compelled to do.
Spencer Sekyer is a high school social studies teacher working in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada who spends his summers, beginning in 2008, doing volunteer work in third world countries, usually with a school system hosting him as he teaches special classes. His introduction to the intricate process of rescue began in 2009 in Kabal, Afghanistan. Spencer Sekyer met Emma, a large white dog living on the streets and trying to feed herself and her 9 pups. It took a lot of time and money and much help from locals, but Spencer was able to rescue Emma and eventually all of her pups, bringing them into good homes in Canada. But Emma was a walk in the park, compared to a rescue for Manno.
I received a free electronic copy of this memoir from Netgalley, Spencer Sekyer, and Simon Schuster. Reading this book was my pleasure, and this review is my honest opinion of this work.
pub date April 2, 2019
Simon Schuster
Reviewed April 10, 2019, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, B&N, BookBub, Kobo
Spencer Sekyer is a high school social studies teacher working in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada who spends his summers, beginning in 2008, doing volunteer work in third world countries, usually with a school system hosting him as he teaches special classes. His introduction to the intricate process of rescue began in 2009 in Kabal, Afghanistan. Spencer Sekyer met Emma, a large white dog living on the streets and trying to feed herself and her 9 pups. It took a lot of time and money and much help from locals, but Spencer was able to rescue Emma and eventually all of her pups, bringing them into good homes in Canada. But Emma was a walk in the park, compared to a rescue for Manno.
I received a free electronic copy of this memoir from Netgalley, Spencer Sekyer, and Simon Schuster. Reading this book was my pleasure, and this review is my honest opinion of this work.
pub date April 2, 2019
Simon Schuster
Reviewed April 10, 2019, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, B&N, BookBub, Kobo
April 20, 2019
Spencer's story is one of joy, sorrow, sadness, disappointment, enlightenment and happiness. Never have I felt such a wave of emotions while reading. I read most of this book in one day and caught myself reading sections to my husband and lecturing my children about the way the world is, not just here but all over the world.
It's so hard to explain to children these days the way things are. With the way Spencer explains the war torn countries be has visited and the schools he has taught in, it makes you wonder how we can better teach our children such things as humility, altruism and respect, not just for eachother but for all living beings. I will forever be touched by this story.
It's so hard to explain to children these days the way things are. With the way Spencer explains the war torn countries be has visited and the schools he has taught in, it makes you wonder how we can better teach our children such things as humility, altruism and respect, not just for eachother but for all living beings. I will forever be touched by this story.
April 28, 2021
This book was ok. The author clearly has some kind of white saviour complex, but I appreciate the noble trying he did for Manno and enjoyed reading his personal journey of what Manno gave back to him. A thing that irks me is that he said he didn’t just view Manno and an “animal, but as a sentient being” uhhhhmmm are animals not sentient beings? Excuse me. That’s not how the animal rights movement works. Animals are sentient beings, not just humans. That really made me just roll my eyes at how ignorant the author is. And he went and did the whitest thing, going on a ayahuasca retreat to “find himself” wow just wow. Overall it’s a nice story, but there are better Chimp books out there.
March 21, 2019
I’ve always had a love of apes and grew up reading about Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. My dream in life is to have the opportunity to travel to volunteer at a sanctuary and do my part for these amazing animals. This book only reinforces that.
It’s really incredible to read about Spencer’s journey and passion. My favourite line in the book is, “More than anything else, I wanted Anders to know that maybe he didn’t have to change the whole world. If saving Manno had taught me anything, it was that saving one world was more than enough.”
Even cooler that Spencer is from right here in Alberta!
Many many thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing me with this ARC and reminding me of my love for apes. ❤️
It’s really incredible to read about Spencer’s journey and passion. My favourite line in the book is, “More than anything else, I wanted Anders to know that maybe he didn’t have to change the whole world. If saving Manno had taught me anything, it was that saving one world was more than enough.”
Even cooler that Spencer is from right here in Alberta!
Many many thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing me with this ARC and reminding me of my love for apes. ❤️
May 21, 2019
I want to thank Spencer for writing your honest and heartfelt book and for saving Manno and other animals. Everyone who helps save animals is a hero!
It is so good to see a fellow Canadian helping animals at home and abroad. Most people here don't realize how privileged we are. I remember being a small child and being grateful for clean water. My partner Leif, the animals and I are grateful every day. I always wanted to help animals and people.
It is important to have examples of men who express their feelings about animals, in contrast to society's stereotypes.
It is also informative about the trade of exotic animals and the web of problems involved, which need to be addressed.
Amanda Dainow Co-Founder North Mountain Animal Sanctuary
It is so good to see a fellow Canadian helping animals at home and abroad. Most people here don't realize how privileged we are. I remember being a small child and being grateful for clean water. My partner Leif, the animals and I are grateful every day. I always wanted to help animals and people.
It is important to have examples of men who express their feelings about animals, in contrast to society's stereotypes.
It is also informative about the trade of exotic animals and the web of problems involved, which need to be addressed.
Amanda Dainow Co-Founder North Mountain Animal Sanctuary
December 6, 2025
Saving Manno by Spencer Sekyer is the true story of a school teacher who endeavoured to find a better home for an orphaned chimpanzee. Manno lives alone in a zoo in Iraq. The animal quarters were mostly small cages on concrete and without simulation of their natural environment. Every night, when the zoo is closed, Manno screams and fights as he is locked in a cage above enclosures for snakes. During the day, he is released and wreaks havoc as he plays with displays or eats merchandise. Spencer, inspired by a lady who died young but dedicated her life helping others, was moved by the plight of Manno. As a volunteer teacher overseas, Spencer met someone who took him to a zoo where he met Manno. Back in Canada, he began writing to everyone who may be able to help which is how he met Jason - an animal activist. By chance, Spencer was able to meet Jane Goodall who connected him with a sanctuary where Manno may be able to bond with other orphaned chimpanzees. Spencer and Jason picked up Manno from his enclosure in Iraq and flew with him to Kenya. Once he arrived at the sanctuary, Manno began his quarantine for four months. It was a bittersweet moment for Spencer when he received a picture of Manno bonding with the rest of the chimpanzee and being told of the protection afforded Manno by the female chimpanzees when the dominant male approached.
A very heartwarming story. I am a sucker for animal stories. Very recommended.
A very heartwarming story. I am a sucker for animal stories. Very recommended.
May 8, 2019
A book about compassion, kindness and love. The author gives you a front seat to the real emotions he experienced as he works alongside others to save this little chimp. His perseverance and courage to stay true to himself and his mission even though many road blocks came his way kept me riveted to the outcome. This book truly taught me to not take life or my loved ones for granted! Well done Spencer, thank you for the incredible book and taking us along on your incredible journey!
August 26, 2026
I think I went into this expecting it to be more chimp-focused, but it read more as a memoir of a hardworking animal rights advocate. It’s still a very inspiring and eye-opening read. The work Sekyer accomplished is truly incredible, and we could all learn something from his perseverance. The version I read had a foreword by Jane Goodall, so that stamp of approval should say it all!
February 23, 2019
I really enjoyed reading of the author's relationship with Manno and the three years it took to move Manno from a zoo to an African sanctuary. I also really enjoyed reading about the author's various volunteer trips around the world. A very heartwarming read.
March 1, 2019
I liked Saving Manno a whole lot even though it was different than
what I expected. I thought it would be more about Manno's life and his day to day
activities. In reality, it was more about the writer and what he went through to
save Manno. I loved the parts about his family, his wife, and his well-loved dogs.
His work as a teacher, and his travels over the years. It is a very good story!
what I expected. I thought it would be more about Manno's life and his day to day
activities. In reality, it was more about the writer and what he went through to
save Manno. I loved the parts about his family, his wife, and his well-loved dogs.
His work as a teacher, and his travels over the years. It is a very good story!
December 2, 2022
I love primates and reading this made me glad that people are fighting for them
June 3, 2019
This was a heartwarming, inspiring read! Spencer's story of how he saved Manno is one of compassion and love. It definitely tugged at my heartstrings.
July 21, 2019
Since becoming a mother, it takes me a good 10 months to see a book beginning to end.
I read “Saving Manno” in a few weeks! I was captivated! I laughed, I cried and most of all - your story gave me such a warm feeling in my heart.
Jane Goodall has been my hero ever since I can remember. She is an inspiring person and I’ve always wanted to “be like Jane”. Spencer - YOU have just reached Jane Goodall status.
Hearing about your travels, volunteer work and animal rescue each time we visited are some of my fondest memories of our brief moments together.
This book. THIS BOOK was written from your heart, it’s written with your sweat and tears. You are an incredible human. You practice what you preach. You are setting such an example to Anders (and all
Of the children in it) - he is so lucky to have you both as parents.
I ate this book up, and am excited to read it again! Thank you for sharing your amazing adventures with the world! You’re making a difference.
August 13, 2019
I LOVED; LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down! I came across this book at a Shoppers Drug Mart. The cover caught my attention of course because I am an animal lover. After I read the back I KNEW I had to have it.
Spencer is the perfect example of how an average Joe can take on a daunting task (in his case to save Manno) and make the world a better place, even if it's just for ONE creature.
This is an inspiring, uplifting book. Moreover, it shows us how we need to be grateful for every single thing we have, when there are people from other cultures and other countries whom, in spite of nor having much, show resilience, gratitude and love.
This is a must read.
Spencer is the perfect example of how an average Joe can take on a daunting task (in his case to save Manno) and make the world a better place, even if it's just for ONE creature.
This is an inspiring, uplifting book. Moreover, it shows us how we need to be grateful for every single thing we have, when there are people from other cultures and other countries whom, in spite of nor having much, show resilience, gratitude and love.
This is a must read.
Read
May 1, 2019This book is has inspired me greatly. Not only is it incredibly well written. A fun and exciting read that has also really opened my mind and heart to the possibility that I too can make a difference in the world.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews