Ortega

by Maureen Fergus

With a thick finger he slowly traced the path of a stray raindrop that had landed near the corner of his eye and trickled down his cheek. And he thought to himself that it was probably a very good thing that gorillas didn't know how to cry. Raised in a laboratory, Ortega might seem nearly human to his scientist-caregivers, but to the children at his new school, a talking gorilla is nothing but a freak. Unless he wants to spend the rest of his life locked in a cage, however, Ortega is going to have to change people's minds. More than a comic-adventure novel, Ortega asks the reader to reflect upon the limits of science, imagine how it feels to be profoundly different from those around you and, most of all, consider what it really means to be human.

Genres: Animals, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fiction, Canada

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Author also writes as M.L. Fergus

Maureen Fergus's books for young people have been translated into more than a dozen languages, optioned for film and adapted for stage. They've been shortlisted and won many regional, national and international awards. Maureen also writes epic romantasy novels for older readers under the name M.L.Fergus. In addition to being a writer, Maureen has degrees in science and business, and she has held senior management positions in the aerospace, biopharmaceutical and financial services industries. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada with her family.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ortega is just starting middle school. He's a typical kid--he can be sarcastic and obstinate, as well as needy and desperate for approval. Ortega is also a gorilla.

Ortega is the result of one ambitious scientist's idea to raise a gorilla to be as human as possible--from wearing clothes to speaking human language to yes, attending regular school. While his human handlers see Ortega in a variety of ways--from money maker to beloved baby--Ortega remains confused about where he really belongs and is painfully aware that he remains a "thing," a piece of laboratory property.

This is one of those hidden gems you can run across on the junior fiction shelves. There's humor, action, drama, true gorilla facts amid all of the fantasy, and some big questions about humanity and personhood.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Ortega, a young gorilla who has had surgery that allows him to speak. He's been taught to also read and is now going to be going to school with human children. How he adapts, and how the humans around him adapt/learn is a touching story that would be appropriate for an older elementary/junior high student - there's a bit of animal cruelty described in the book so if you have a child who is bothered by such descriptions you may want to either wait or read the book/have discussions with them to help them.

This book reminded me of "The Ugly Little Boy" by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg which could be why I enjoyed Ortega so much.

I have to say, I read some of the reviews that said - "if you can get past the belief of a gorilla acting like an 11 year old..." isn't that what fiction is about, to get past the reality of life and into somewhere different? And isn't that what childhood is about, to use our imaginations to help us take the steps to become adults; adults who I would hope can still dream and hope and believe in possibilities. But, if you are not that sort this book probably wouldn't be for you.

[Seema · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about a gorilla who is a part of a scientific experiment. He gets a sound box so he can talk. He is now being asked to go to school and the story is about the trials and tribulations that he faces in and outside school. The author raises some questions about ethics and animal rights in experiments. She makes a good amalgamation of the gorilla and humanistic characteristics. I liked all the characters and it is moving in parts along with adventure. The ending is a bit abrupt and seemed to tie some loose ends fairly quickly.

[Jonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Language - PG (5 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - PG; Violence - PG
Ortega is a scientific experiment to see if gorillas can be like and understand as much as humans. He has grown up in the lab learning tricks to get what he wants or else punish Dr. Whitmore, the mean head of the research facility. Things get more complicated when Ortega is forced to go to school. HUMAN school. Now he doesn't just have to worry about Dr. Whitmore, but what the eleven-year-olds think of him. How should he act? Who does he hang out with? Why aren't there any snack breaks before lunch? Ortega is in way over his hairy head.
I really enjoyed reading Ortega. It was interesting to read about a scientific research project and how our society treats others. As a student in a new school myself, I know that a lot of things can be different and hard, but at least there aren't people protesting my going to school or into movie theaters! Friendship plays an important role in school and life and I like how Ortega learns this important lesson. It was a very different experience for me reading and learning from the point of view of a gorilla who is learning human ways and yet still yearning to act on his instincts. It gave me a new look on things.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting tale ... I'll admit that the initial concept of the talking gorilla was a bit icky for me, as the contrast between the human and animal behaviour was pretty diverse. However, as you learned more about Ortega as an individual, you began to empathize with him more and more. I liked the mix of responses - from nature to nuture - and how each person responded according to their nature.
A good selection, but I think it will need some teaching to as a Silver Birch novel!

[Niki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I knew that I was going to be meeting Maureen Fergus and while I was familiar with many of her picture books, I hadn't read any of her novels. I thought I should so I found Ortega at my local library and dove in... and then trickled to a stop. It just didn't do it for me. I can put my finger on why, but it didn't.
Ortega is a medically-modified, talking gorilla that goes to school, but struggles to fit in with the other students.
Maureen Fergus is a fantastic person and a wonderful author, but Ortega wasn't for me.

[Rachel Seigel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is interesting and compelling, but it is difficult to suspend your disbelief to buy that this gorilla thinks and acts like an 11-year-old child with some gorilla tendencies. If you can get past that, it raises interesting questions about ethical treatment of animals and what makes someone a person, or even human. For a similar but better read, turn to Kenneth Oppel's Half Brother. They could also be read side-by-side and compared.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely compelling read for the grade 4-6 set about a young gorilla who has been surgically altered to give him the ability to speak, then raised (mostly) as a human child would be. Though hard to get used to at first, Ortega himself is highly believable as an 11 year old boy, with gorilla tendencies thrown in. Suspenseful enough for the younger crowd, with lots of lessons in the ethical treatment of animals and what makes us human.

[Stacey]

Wow. I hadn't read young adult lit for awhile, and this was a great way to return to it! This would be a great read-aloud for 5th-8th grade. Lots of interesting what-ifs to ponder between ethics and science.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you can suspend disbelief that a gorilla can act exactly like an 11 year old boy, and be able to distinguish between right and wrong, this is actually a very sweet story.

[Kyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

i find this book both kidlike and emotional i love it. ortega totaly gets five stars i love him.and nothing is better than a happy ending!

[Thamilinie]

its good so far
and sad tooo