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Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear
* "Perfect for animal-loving fans of Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan and Rosanne Parry’s A Wolf Called Wander ."— School Library Journal , starred review
An Eisner-nominated middle grade graphic novel adventure based on a true story, in which a young conservationist overcomes the odds to save and return a sun bear to its natural habitat.
When endlessly curious and tenacious Chang discovers a bear bile farm near her home in Vietnam, she decides to do everything she can to save wild animals—by becoming a conservationist! After teaching herself survival skills, documenting each rainforest plant and animal she sees in her field notebook, and disproving the critics who think she isn’t old enough or strong enough, Chang is finally accepted as a rescue center volunteer. But her toughest challenge yet comes when she’s tasked with returning Sorya — the sun bear she raised from infancy — back into the wild. Because despite being a different species, Sorya is Chang’s best friend. And letting a friend go is never easy . . . even when it’s the right thing to do.
With breathtaking art and STEM facts galore, Chang’s daring story is for any young reader, animal lover, and intrepid explorer!
An Eisner-nominated middle grade graphic novel adventure based on a true story, in which a young conservationist overcomes the odds to save and return a sun bear to its natural habitat.
When endlessly curious and tenacious Chang discovers a bear bile farm near her home in Vietnam, she decides to do everything she can to save wild animals—by becoming a conservationist! After teaching herself survival skills, documenting each rainforest plant and animal she sees in her field notebook, and disproving the critics who think she isn’t old enough or strong enough, Chang is finally accepted as a rescue center volunteer. But her toughest challenge yet comes when she’s tasked with returning Sorya — the sun bear she raised from infancy — back into the wild. Because despite being a different species, Sorya is Chang’s best friend. And letting a friend go is never easy . . . even when it’s the right thing to do.
With breathtaking art and STEM facts galore, Chang’s daring story is for any young reader, animal lover, and intrepid explorer!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2021
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282 people want to read
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August 2, 2023
Both textually and illustratively, the set in Vietnam, generally fictional but based on true, on actual events and written and illustrated by two Vietnamese citizens (by Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdung respectively) graphic novel Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear (which was published in 2021 and is currently on the shortlist list for the 2023 Kate Greenaway Medal for Jeet Zdung's artwork) is not only delightfully, thoroughly educational, enlightening, but also beautifully rendered, engaging, and at times necessarily painful and uncomfortable (suitable for young readers from about the age of eight or nine or so onwards, but actually Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear should in my opinion appeal to anyone who is a fan of graphic novels as a genre, although I do leave the necessary caveat that the themes and the contents featured in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear are definitely heavy duty and might as such be rather disturbing for the very sensitive, and in particular so that one illustration Jeet Zdung presents of the strapped down bear having its bile removed, of what actually causes the young girl Chang of the book title to decide to become and train as a conservationist).
Now first and foremost, I do very much appreciate that the environmental, that the ecological (zoological) horror stories and destruction created and caused by poaching and by capturing bears for their bile (including the Sun Bears featured in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear) are not ignored by either the author or by the illustrator, although personally, I do think that Trang Nguyễn in particular should definitely be more textually specific and expansive in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear with regard to not just how but also especially why bears are being poached and killed for their bile and as such absolutely relentless and critically nasty towards those "people" who purchase in particular traditional Asian (and especially Chinese) medicines containing bear bile, that the customers are just as much an issue and a problem as the poachers (and for me even more so and even more worthy of being totally and utterly shamed and condemned, as without the customers, the users and the demand for bear bile, there would of course also be no real need and importantly also no financial profits for poaching and for bear bile being"harvested" in the first place).
But generally, with my above mentioned reservations notwithstanding and actually also only rather minor, well, Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear indeed offers a very much decent, and in fact a pretty delightfully wonderful both textual and visual introduction to not only the Chang and the Sorya of the book title (with Sorya of course being a rescued Sun Bear that Chang is trying to rehabilitate so the bear can be released back into wild), but to Vietnamese wildlife and landscape in general, as well as to the destruction and threats that are happening all over Vietnam because of poaching and other types of human interference like habitat degradation, pollution and the like. And while I actually tend to not consider graphic novels a favourite genre, considering that much of my annoyances and frustrations often seem to come from me not being all that aesthetically into the cartoon-like illustrations that are part and parcel of many if not even most graphic novels, the fact that Jeet Zdung's artwork for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is not in fact all that much like a typical cartoon but is lushly painterly and with a three dimensional visual depth to it, yes, this has been marvellously refreshing and has also made Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear an utterly delightful both visual and textual treat for and to me (and I am definitely rather surprised that Jeet Zdung's more cartoon like and resembling manga human figures did not actually bother me at all).
Therefore and, yes indeed, Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdung, they both have created with Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear a totally magical but also enlightening and majorly thought-provoking marriage of text and images, and that definitely, the only reason why my rating for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is not five stars being that I do think that aside from the website for Free the Bears, there really should also be a list in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear of not only books but also relevant websites for further reading and study about Vietnam, about Sun Bears and about the threats caused by poaching and the demand for exotic animal by-products that are key ingredients in traditional medicines and their cultural but dangerous for the environment and wildlife superstitions.
Now first and foremost, I do very much appreciate that the environmental, that the ecological (zoological) horror stories and destruction created and caused by poaching and by capturing bears for their bile (including the Sun Bears featured in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear) are not ignored by either the author or by the illustrator, although personally, I do think that Trang Nguyễn in particular should definitely be more textually specific and expansive in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear with regard to not just how but also especially why bears are being poached and killed for their bile and as such absolutely relentless and critically nasty towards those "people" who purchase in particular traditional Asian (and especially Chinese) medicines containing bear bile, that the customers are just as much an issue and a problem as the poachers (and for me even more so and even more worthy of being totally and utterly shamed and condemned, as without the customers, the users and the demand for bear bile, there would of course also be no real need and importantly also no financial profits for poaching and for bear bile being"harvested" in the first place).
But generally, with my above mentioned reservations notwithstanding and actually also only rather minor, well, Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear indeed offers a very much decent, and in fact a pretty delightfully wonderful both textual and visual introduction to not only the Chang and the Sorya of the book title (with Sorya of course being a rescued Sun Bear that Chang is trying to rehabilitate so the bear can be released back into wild), but to Vietnamese wildlife and landscape in general, as well as to the destruction and threats that are happening all over Vietnam because of poaching and other types of human interference like habitat degradation, pollution and the like. And while I actually tend to not consider graphic novels a favourite genre, considering that much of my annoyances and frustrations often seem to come from me not being all that aesthetically into the cartoon-like illustrations that are part and parcel of many if not even most graphic novels, the fact that Jeet Zdung's artwork for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is not in fact all that much like a typical cartoon but is lushly painterly and with a three dimensional visual depth to it, yes, this has been marvellously refreshing and has also made Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear an utterly delightful both visual and textual treat for and to me (and I am definitely rather surprised that Jeet Zdung's more cartoon like and resembling manga human figures did not actually bother me at all).
Therefore and, yes indeed, Trang Nguyễn and Jeet Zdung, they both have created with Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear a totally magical but also enlightening and majorly thought-provoking marriage of text and images, and that definitely, the only reason why my rating for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is not five stars being that I do think that aside from the website for Free the Bears, there really should also be a list in Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear of not only books but also relevant websites for further reading and study about Vietnam, about Sun Bears and about the threats caused by poaching and the demand for exotic animal by-products that are key ingredients in traditional medicines and their cultural but dangerous for the environment and wildlife superstitions.
June 15, 2022
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
Saving Sorya is a beautiful, informative children's book illustrated in the format of a graphic novel. Chang is a young Vietnamese girl who wants to grow up to be a conservationist and make a difference in the world. Sorya is a sun bear who Chang has been tasked with looking after and reintroducing back into the wild and natural habitat it belongs to. This book is a fantastic book for any child interested in animals and the environment and offers a fantastic mix of adventure, hope and inspiration and combines nature and science too. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and I felt so many emotions from the illustrations alone!
Saving Sorya is a beautiful, informative children's book illustrated in the format of a graphic novel. Chang is a young Vietnamese girl who wants to grow up to be a conservationist and make a difference in the world. Sorya is a sun bear who Chang has been tasked with looking after and reintroducing back into the wild and natural habitat it belongs to. This book is a fantastic book for any child interested in animals and the environment and offers a fantastic mix of adventure, hope and inspiration and combines nature and science too. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and I felt so many emotions from the illustrations alone!
July 22, 2023
Both beautifully told and illustrated, this is truly one of the most moving, encouraging and inspiring children’s picture books/graphic novels I’ve read in a long time. This did so much to my heart.
April 16, 2023
Lâu rồi mới đọc một quyển sách khiến mình xúc động muốn khóc như vậy. Sách đẹp một cách tinh tế, cách kể chuyện lôi cuốn, kết hợp nhuần nhuyễn giữa thông tin khoa học và trải nghiệm cá nhân, giữa hư cấu và phi hư cấu. Và, dù mình đã khen trong quyển một, nhưng vẫn muốn khen lại, là phần hình vẽ xuất sắc quá. Cho thấy sự đào sâu, nghiên cứu, quan sát tỉ mỉ trong quá trình thực địa, thể hiện công sức và cái tâm làm nghề của tác giả Jeet Zdung và những cộng sự khác trong nhóm dự án. Cảm thấy cứ muốn ngồi hàng giờ để chìm vào thế giới của những trang vẽ.
Mình thấy nội dung quyển này tốt hơn quyển đầu, mặc dù có vài chỗ nhỏ có thể điều chỉnh từ ngữ để câu chữ được mượt hơn. Nhưng tóm lại nó rất xứng đáng để góp vào bộ sưu tập của những người yêu thích sách tranh. Đây là một quyển sách mà mình muốn có bản tiếng Anh để đem khoe với bạn bè quốc tế.
Mình thấy nội dung quyển này tốt hơn quyển đầu, mặc dù có vài chỗ nhỏ có thể điều chỉnh từ ngữ để câu chữ được mượt hơn. Nhưng tóm lại nó rất xứng đáng để góp vào bộ sưu tập của những người yêu thích sách tranh. Đây là một quyển sách mà mình muốn có bản tiếng Anh để đem khoe với bạn bè quốc tế.
October 19, 2021
No idea why the cover isn't on here but the book was released at the end of September, 2021. A fusion text that borrows from graphic novel and information text alike, it tells the story of Chang, a young Vietnamese girl who aspires to be a conservationist, and a Sorya, a sun bear left in her charge.
This book is utterly, utterly jaw-droppingly beautiful. Quotes from the School Library Journal claim it to be a 'Triumph' whilst Kirkus say it's 'Uplifting and breathtaking': they're absolutely right and I cannot praise it enough.
This book is utterly, utterly jaw-droppingly beautiful. Quotes from the School Library Journal claim it to be a 'Triumph' whilst Kirkus say it's 'Uplifting and breathtaking': they're absolutely right and I cannot praise it enough.
May 15, 2024
Sách siêu đẹp, trời ơi!
Phải nói là cuốn sách là một tác phẩm kết tinh của nghệ thuật, khoa học và lòng trắc ẩn.
Đội ngũ họa sĩ thì vẽ vô cùng chắc tay, có tìm hiểu kỹ về động, thực vật của rừng quốc gia Yok Đôn.
Nội dung thì vừa chân thực vừa cảm động - dựa trên những trải nghiệm thực tế của những người làm bảo tồn động vật hoang dã.
Cuốn sách vừa giúp người đọc hiểu thêm về đa dạng sinh học rừng của Việt Nam, vừa biết về nhiều nghề nghiệp như quản tượng, kiểm lâm viên, nhà bảo tồn. Và trên hết nuôi dưỡng tình yêu thiên nhiên, nâng cao ý thức bảo vệ động vật hoang dã ở người đọc.
Phải nói là cuốn sách là một tác phẩm kết tinh của nghệ thuật, khoa học và lòng trắc ẩn.
Đội ngũ họa sĩ thì vẽ vô cùng chắc tay, có tìm hiểu kỹ về động, thực vật của rừng quốc gia Yok Đôn.
Nội dung thì vừa chân thực vừa cảm động - dựa trên những trải nghiệm thực tế của những người làm bảo tồn động vật hoang dã.
Cuốn sách vừa giúp người đọc hiểu thêm về đa dạng sinh học rừng của Việt Nam, vừa biết về nhiều nghề nghiệp như quản tượng, kiểm lâm viên, nhà bảo tồn. Và trên hết nuôi dưỡng tình yêu thiên nhiên, nâng cao ý thức bảo vệ động vật hoang dã ở người đọc.
December 12, 2021
This middle grade graphic novel is both educational and compelling. It portrays the efforts of a young conservationist named Chang (based on the author herself) to reintroduce an orphaned Sun Bear named Sorya back into the wild. I really enjoyed the combination of science, adventure, and hope in this one. It's a great choice for readers of Moto and Me by Suzi Eszterhas.
February 7, 2022
Stunning art and a sweet story full of fascinating information that will inspire kids to be conservationists.
June 14, 2023
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel, inspired the work of conservation groups in Vietnam, traces the work of a girl who helps raise and reacclimate an orphaned sun bear cub to life in the jungle. The pages are presented in the fashion of a field notebook, making young readers really feel as if they are a part of Sorya the bear's rehabilitation.
Vietnam has some of the world's most unique and stunning wildlife, but these ecosystems and their inhabitants are also vulnerable to poaching. It is true, parts of the book are straightforward about poaching and what this means for the animals who get caught up in this ugly clandestine market. However, the topic is handled truthfully but sensitively, and darker sections are kept brief and always bookended by hopeful and helpful content. Young readers come away informed and empowered.
Sorya the bear is charming, and Chang, her young caretaker is determined, compassionate, thoughtful, and brave. (Although, I will say that I hope some creative license was taken in this story--I dearly hope preteen kids aren't ever given the level of responsibility Chang has, including camping in the jungle alone; I also hope that bear cubs aren't this closely acclimated to humans before release, when poaching remains a consistent threat.)
This is exactly the kind of book you want to get into the hands of upper elementary/middle school readers. It encompasses so many aspects of learning--ecology, science and biology, world cultures, art, and of course, the humane education aspect. A section at the conclusion offers up interesting facts about sun bears and other ursine species, as well as ways kids and their parents can get in contact with groups doing wildlife preservation work in Vietnam.
Vietnam has some of the world's most unique and stunning wildlife, but these ecosystems and their inhabitants are also vulnerable to poaching. It is true, parts of the book are straightforward about poaching and what this means for the animals who get caught up in this ugly clandestine market. However, the topic is handled truthfully but sensitively, and darker sections are kept brief and always bookended by hopeful and helpful content. Young readers come away informed and empowered.
Sorya the bear is charming, and Chang, her young caretaker is determined, compassionate, thoughtful, and brave. (Although, I will say that I hope some creative license was taken in this story--I dearly hope preteen kids aren't ever given the level of responsibility Chang has, including camping in the jungle alone; I also hope that bear cubs aren't this closely acclimated to humans before release, when poaching remains a consistent threat.)
This is exactly the kind of book you want to get into the hands of upper elementary/middle school readers. It encompasses so many aspects of learning--ecology, science and biology, world cultures, art, and of course, the humane education aspect. A section at the conclusion offers up interesting facts about sun bears and other ursine species, as well as ways kids and their parents can get in contact with groups doing wildlife preservation work in Vietnam.
November 15, 2021
This is a truly wonderful and empowering story! Having been based on her own life, Nguyen manages to capture the emotions effortlessly and beautifully throughout the book. The way in which the book is written and presented is perfectly fitting with the story behind it and the illustrations support the text perfectly. Not only does this book tell you about Nguyen's experiences, it also educates the reader about conservation issues and the different types of bears around the world. A great read, perfect for a KS2 class.
December 5, 2021
A beautiful book based on Nguyen's experiences as a wildlife conservationist. The illustrations are wonderful and add an extra dimension of understanding to the book. I particularly loved the inclusion of Chang's field notes, adding further detail. The language used is engaging, informative, and not patronising, which is always good in a book written by an expert!
January 24, 2022
Amazing book. We need more stories like these! The illustrations of Vietnam and the bear rescue center are absolutely gorgeous. Chang is a young girl who is passionate about her cause and will not give up. I love how the book explicitly shows how she defies multiple stereotypes in pursuing her dream of being a conservationist.
July 22, 2023
Vivid illustration and a heart-rending story. Worth lots of re-reading. Standing outside a bookshop a lump in my throat.
April 11, 2022
Based on a true story, this is a fictionalized account of a Vietnamese wildlife conservationist who returns an orphaned sun bear to the wild in a Vietnamese rainforest. The artwork is realistic as opposed to cartoon-ish, and is excellent. Both author and illustrator are Vietnamese citizens.
November 25, 2021
An utterly beautiful story! Based on Nguyen own experiences from life growing up as a little girl in Virtnam. The story illustrates the girls emotions and thoughts perfectly,- this book really touched me and I was really drawn into the story behind this book. The illustrations are just perfect and breathtakingly beautiful. I absolutely loved the choice of colours and the positioning of the bear on the page to make him seem less important and inferior. It was interesting to see this change as the story progressed. Told in the form of a graphic novel I wasn't sure whether I'd like this style, however I loved it! Not only is this book so heartwarming, it also is very informative about conversation and the different types of bear species around the world. A great read to teach children about bears and can easily be linked to science. This book could also have amazing writing opportunities in literacy. Links could also be made in art Art and geography too. A fantastic book for a KS2 class to explore the theme of 'letting go'. This book highlights the themes of friendship, strength and resilience- these are all themes which young children will be able to relate too. Resilience is a strong theme throughout this book- implying to children to never give up. A sense of journey is also translated through this book, a message connoting, the journey is sometimes not easy but it is worth it in the end. I am very impressed at how the author has delivered her story and message- a story based on real life efforts to save the bears in Asia but translated into a beautiful book which is appropriate for young children to understand. Utterly beautiful and quite possibly my favourite one so far I've read!
November 20, 2021
Based on the author's actual experiences and those of a sun bear, this graphic novel tells the journey of a determined Vietnamese girl named Chang, a wildlife conservationist who charted her own career despite naysayers who doubted her ability to work in this particular field. In many respects, she was self-taught but also quick to volunteer her services in order to learn about the animals in her country who needed protection. When Chang begins taking care of Sorya, a young sun bear with no mother, she becomes devoted to the animal and focused on finding a way to return her to the wild. Her concerns about the viability of this plan grow as she visits different areas but finds them lacking. When she finds the perfect spot, she also learns from locals that poachers take animals for their skins and medicines. In order to give Sorya a fighting chance, she and Free the Bears, an organization devoted to these creatures, enlist the help of the residents in protecting the habitat. A tracker is placed on Sorya, and Chang accompanies her to her new home, spending several days and nights in the forest until Sorya meets another sun bear and can function on her own. Not only is this story inspiring, refreshing, and informative--and yes, it also tugs at readers' hearts--but it also contains fascinating field notes taken while the author was in the field. For parents, caregivers, teachers or middle graders looking for a unique take on a science career and how one young girl with a passion for animals followed her dream, this one fits the bill perfectly.
March 24, 2022
This book was so cute. Sorya is the cutest little thing i have ever seen. I would totally join Free The Bears program... if I was in Vietnam. Nobody should use animals for anything even if its medicine. People also really need to stop poaching animals and destroying their homes. I love how Chang never stopped applying for a program, she is an example of how you should never give up your dreams. I would totally not mind to have a Sun Bear as a pet. Like who would kill such a cute animal or hurt one. Just tell everybody to stop hurting animals that is how they become endangered people! People just need to start thinking before doing. So no other animal becomes extinct or endangered.
October 11, 2024
This true story is a heart-warming one that involves the story of a young girl and her dream to become a nature conservationist. It has a good message for children, which is to stand up for what you believe in and don't give up on your dreams. The relationship between Chang and Sorya is beautiful and will jerk on your heart towards the end of the book.
March 23, 2022
Beautifully illustrated and drawing attention to an important conservation topic.
March 24, 2022
If you read this book you will cry in it like me and my sister did😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
May 14, 2022
Nonfiction autobiography of Trang Nguyen and her Sun Bear. Trang raises a baby sun bear and then releases it into the wild.
December 28, 2023
4,5! Så otroligt bra!
Rädda Sorya: Chang och solbjörnen är en barnbok som riktar sig mot barn mellan 9-12 år och som ni säkert vet vid det här laget, så gillar jag verkligen sådana böcker. Så det går utmärkt att läsa den som vuxen också!
Jag fastnade direkt för handlingen som var så intressant, viktig och ganska så berörande. Det är mycket fokus på djur, natur och miljö och jag lärde mig mycket om solbjörnar och annat då det var bra information med i boken. Den Vietnamesiska miljön var också helt otrolig att läsa om. Dessutom var illustrationerna också helt fantastiska och gjorde läsupplevelsen ännu bättre! Jag kände så många olika känslor under läsningens gång och blev berörd ett antal gånger.
Rädda Sorya: Chang och solbjörnen var en helt otrolig barnbok som klättra upp bland mina favoriter och jag verkligen kan rekommendera den både till barn och vuxna!
Tack Barnens val för recensionsexemplaret!
Rädda Sorya: Chang och solbjörnen är en barnbok som riktar sig mot barn mellan 9-12 år och som ni säkert vet vid det här laget, så gillar jag verkligen sådana böcker. Så det går utmärkt att läsa den som vuxen också!
Jag fastnade direkt för handlingen som var så intressant, viktig och ganska så berörande. Det är mycket fokus på djur, natur och miljö och jag lärde mig mycket om solbjörnar och annat då det var bra information med i boken. Den Vietnamesiska miljön var också helt otrolig att läsa om. Dessutom var illustrationerna också helt fantastiska och gjorde läsupplevelsen ännu bättre! Jag kände så många olika känslor under läsningens gång och blev berörd ett antal gånger.
Rädda Sorya: Chang och solbjörnen var en helt otrolig barnbok som klättra upp bland mina favoriter och jag verkligen kan rekommendera den både till barn och vuxna!
Tack Barnens val för recensionsexemplaret!
May 20, 2021
Hmmm... This is a mixed-bag, but mostly a graphic novel testimony from a nature conservation worker who has built a career involved in rescuing sun bears from Vietnamese, Laotian and Thai bear bile farms. And it really should be better – although I do hope that with an edit to get all the awful grammar, repetitions and suchlike from the text it would still manage to serve its purpose. The book certainly has wonderful artwork – real craft in every frame is most evident – but as it is it's been let down by the script, disjointedly telling us what we need to know at the wrong time and place, but trying its best to focus on the story of one bear who was rescued as a young orphan and so needs to lose all human imprinting and get back its wild edge before it can be let loose.
Wonderful spreads showing the diverse wildlife the bears should be living amongst, instead of being stuck in a mafia-styled cage and tapped for their bile, and superb evocations of a nature scientist's field notes, sit awkwardly alongside the visuals where the heroine looks about ten years old, and some very cartoonish sections. As I say, this really needs to do well, for it has an important lesson within its covers, but I found much of it ill-considered and flowing very poorly, and in need of being presented with a better grasp of basic English. Would that I could recommend it...
Wonderful spreads showing the diverse wildlife the bears should be living amongst, instead of being stuck in a mafia-styled cage and tapped for their bile, and superb evocations of a nature scientist's field notes, sit awkwardly alongside the visuals where the heroine looks about ten years old, and some very cartoonish sections. As I say, this really needs to do well, for it has an important lesson within its covers, but I found much of it ill-considered and flowing very poorly, and in need of being presented with a better grasp of basic English. Would that I could recommend it...
June 30, 2022
Beautifully illustrated, but the story itself is meh.
How did the girl who got a glimpse through a window of a bear KNOW that that very same bear, Misa, was at the sanctuary?
How does one just go around visiting forests?
Who is caring about the frogs that Sorya is trying to eat?
Did Chang really just hang out in the forest for MONTHS with a bear?
Second book I read this week that told me that pandas are now considered part of the bear family. When I did a report in elementary school, they were not. How things change.
How did the girl who got a glimpse through a window of a bear KNOW that that very same bear, Misa, was at the sanctuary?
How does one just go around visiting forests?
Who is caring about the frogs that Sorya is trying to eat?
Did Chang really just hang out in the forest for MONTHS with a bear?
Second book I read this week that told me that pandas are now considered part of the bear family. When I did a report in elementary school, they were not. How things change.
January 9, 2023
Based on a true story, Chang finds a farm near her home in Vietnam and then becomes a conservationist in order to try and save all of the animals. The main message in the book is shown when Chang is presented with a challenge to give back Sorya- the bear she how grown up with- showing that despite Sorya being a different species she is her closest companion. A story filled with thrill and excitement.
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November 23, 2021Gorgeous illustrations combine with a loving animal message. Reminds me a lot of Sy Montgomery's relationship to animals.
May 11, 2022
The painful cries of a moon bear being held down to extract bile from its gallbladder for traditional Asian medicines inspires 8 year-old Chang to devote her life to conservation and freeing/saving the sun bears of her native Vietnam. A story that is semi-autobiographical by Vietnamese author and wildlife conservationist Trang Nguyen, its intimate, rainforest-palette infused illustrations by Jeet Zdung that employ "traditional Vietnamese art with manga using pencils, watercolors" inspire both realistic understandings of how rainforests are being degraded and destroyed in Vietnam, but also how conservation efforts are making a difference and ultimately allowing Chang to nurse, train and bring an orphaned sun bear named Sorya back to the wild. By turns heartbreaking and endearing, with Sorya depicted as a smiling, tongue-lolling young creature with a taste for honey and termites, we walk with Chang as she takes Sorya out into the forest to re-habilitate the young bear, watching as months pass before Sorya makes her way and Chang says one last farewell.
Budding conservationists, zoologists, scientists and adventure lovers will read and re-read this powerful witness to the plight of sun bears and other bears trapped in bile farms and will certainly inspire more reading and research into the issues of saving our natural world. This is a perfect book for both pleasure reading and an as an entry point to lessons centering the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 15 Life on Land. Highly recommended for readers 8 and up.
Budding conservationists, zoologists, scientists and adventure lovers will read and re-read this powerful witness to the plight of sun bears and other bears trapped in bile farms and will certainly inspire more reading and research into the issues of saving our natural world. This is a perfect book for both pleasure reading and an as an entry point to lessons centering the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 15 Life on Land. Highly recommended for readers 8 and up.
November 4, 2022
There was a girl named Chang. She loved animals and hoped to become a wildlife animal saver, although it was hard to become a wildlife saver , you have to be strong, fast, and smart with nature. Chang eat healthy and trained everyday so she could become one. People were mean to Chang but she never gave up. Years went by with Chang trying to get in.
Then when she was older her dream came true , and she was part of the animal team. This was a great day for Chang. She helped feed the animals, and take care of them . One day Chang decided to return a old sun bear to the rainforest . Her name was Sorya, and Sorya belongs in the rainforest . Chang had to train Sorya for days. Soon anoff Sorya was ready to. Chang searched for the perfect rainforest for Sorya. She found a beautiful one but it was quiet. Sorya returned and it was not that great. |She couldn't get her own food and needed Chang . Chang was in the rainforest right with Sorya but refused to get her food. Chang camped out with Sorya making sure she was alright. Day two was better and Sorya got her own food . Chang had taught Sorya well and the next day came that Sorya was ready for the wild on her own . Chan left the rainforest and Sorya was happy , and Chang thought she was the best animal saver. This book is good but it does not have lots of words but it is a great adventure i recommend this book to people who like animals i do not recommend this book to people who are in 2and grade and people who like books with lots of words.
Then when she was older her dream came true , and she was part of the animal team. This was a great day for Chang. She helped feed the animals, and take care of them . One day Chang decided to return a old sun bear to the rainforest . Her name was Sorya, and Sorya belongs in the rainforest . Chang had to train Sorya for days. Soon anoff Sorya was ready to. Chang searched for the perfect rainforest for Sorya. She found a beautiful one but it was quiet. Sorya returned and it was not that great. |She couldn't get her own food and needed Chang . Chang was in the rainforest right with Sorya but refused to get her food. Chang camped out with Sorya making sure she was alright. Day two was better and Sorya got her own food . Chang had taught Sorya well and the next day came that Sorya was ready for the wild on her own . Chan left the rainforest and Sorya was happy , and Chang thought she was the best animal saver. This book is good but it does not have lots of words but it is a great adventure i recommend this book to people who like animals i do not recommend this book to people who are in 2and grade and people who like books with lots of words.
April 10, 2023
'Saving Sorya. Chang and the Sun Bear' is a breathtakingly beautiful non-fiction picture book, based on the work of author Trang Nguyen, a Vietnamese conservationist working to support bears and other wildlife, living in their natural habitats around the world.
We follow Chang from her interest as a young girl in the 'bear bile farms' in Asia and her determination to become a wildlife conservationist. When she meets Sorya, a baby Sun Bear, she makes it her mission to find her a home and help her live wild and free in the forest.
"...the journey was tough but the discoveries we made together were worth it."
Chang is an inspirational young person and this book educates us about the devastating impact of human demands on the animal and natural world. Chang's passion and determination, and her sense of 'gaurdianship' rather than 'ownership', of the natural world was humbling.
However, what sets this book apart are the stunning illustrations, that work in perfect harmony with the text and provide the reader with an outstanding and impactful reading experience.
Jeet Zdung fuses traditional Vietnamese art with manga, using watercolour, pencils and digital tech to create illustrations that transport the reader within the pages of the book to places far away. I especially adored the illustration of Chang's 'field notes' and how Chang's emotions change throughout the book.
Saving Sorya is an essential read for all Primary years and is my favourite to win this year's @carnegiemedals for illustration!
We follow Chang from her interest as a young girl in the 'bear bile farms' in Asia and her determination to become a wildlife conservationist. When she meets Sorya, a baby Sun Bear, she makes it her mission to find her a home and help her live wild and free in the forest.
"...the journey was tough but the discoveries we made together were worth it."
Chang is an inspirational young person and this book educates us about the devastating impact of human demands on the animal and natural world. Chang's passion and determination, and her sense of 'gaurdianship' rather than 'ownership', of the natural world was humbling.
However, what sets this book apart are the stunning illustrations, that work in perfect harmony with the text and provide the reader with an outstanding and impactful reading experience.
Jeet Zdung fuses traditional Vietnamese art with manga, using watercolour, pencils and digital tech to create illustrations that transport the reader within the pages of the book to places far away. I especially adored the illustration of Chang's 'field notes' and how Chang's emotions change throughout the book.
Saving Sorya is an essential read for all Primary years and is my favourite to win this year's @carnegiemedals for illustration!
April 23, 2022
5 stars -- This is a wonderful semi-autobiographical graphic novel about a young Vietnamese girl whose life is greatly changed when she accidentally witnesses a bear having its bile extracted. Seeing that bothers her so much that she vows then -- at the age of eight -- to become a wildlife conservationist. Even though she is not taken seriously then because of her age and gender, she exercises & eats healthy so she will be ready, she reads all she can so she will know as much as possible, and she begins keeping her own field book so she can practice her drawing. She watches wildlife documentaries and talks to conservationists from other countries. And year after year, she sends in volunteer applications to various organizations in Vietnam. Finally, she is accepted and becomes part of a group of animal rescue volunteers in Cat Tien National Park. After gaining valuable experience there, she also begins volunteering at Free the Bears. That is where she meets a tiny two-week-old Sun Bear cub named Sorya. From that day, the goal is to return the cub to the wild as Sun Bears are a vital part of the rain forest ecosystem. This book is beautifully illustrated and beautifully told. I loved it.
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