Overview
Rickie the chimpanzee loved living with her mother in the rain forests of Central Africa, warm and safe. Until the day the hunters came, and took Rickie away to sell at a Congelese market. Luckily, she was resuced by a kind man who adopted Rickie and cared for her. Best of all, he provided an unexpected friend in his dog Henri. This true story of friendship is heart-warmingly brought to life by renowned scientist Dr. Jane Goodall.
When her human guardian goes on a business trip, Ricki, an orphaned chimpanzee infant, adopts Henri, a shaggy dog, as her "mother."
Synopsis
Rickie the chimpanzee loved living with her mother in the rain forests of Central Africa, warm and safe. Until the day the hunters came, and took Rickie away to sell at a Congelese market. Luckily, she was resuced by a kind man who adopted Rickie and cared for her. Best of all, he provided an unexpected friend in his dog Henri. This true story of friendship is heart-warmingly brought to life by renowned scientist Dr. Jane Goodall.
Publishers Weekly
Jane Goodall tells of Rickie and Henri: A True Story, illus. by Alan Marks. Rickie, a young chimpanzee is orphaned when hunters kill his mother, then attempt to sell him in a Congolese market. A "tall man" rescues and nurses Rickie, and the man's dog, Henri, soon becomes the chimp's closest companion. Marks's realistic illustrations ably show Rickie running an emotional gamut from terror to joy. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Jane Goodall tells of Rickie and Henri: A True Story, illus. by Alan Marks. Rickie, a young chimpanzee is orphaned when hunters kill his mother, then attempt to sell him in a Congolese market. A "tall man" rescues and nurses Rickie, and the man's dog, Henri, soon becomes the chimp's closest companion. Marks's realistic illustrations ably show Rickie running an emotional gamut from terror to joy. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature
Rickie was born in the rain forest of Central Africa. When she was about two years old, her peaceful life with her mother and the other chimpanzees was shattered. After shooting her mother, a hunter forced Rickie into a small basket and carried her away to a market in the Congo Republic. Cold, frightened, and hungry, Rickie lay in a small ball and had been given up for dead when a kind man spotted her. Rescuing her from the hunter, he wrapped her in his jacket and carried her home. The tall man fed Rickie and made sure she was comfortable, but he was away from home a lot and Rickie was lonely. She sought comfort from Henri, the resident dog. At first Henri ignored Rickie, but eventually a friendship developed. Rickie rode around on Henri's back during the day and slept close to him at night. When Rickie grew too large to remain with her human family and Henri, the kind man took her to the Jan Goodall Institute's Tchimpounga Sanctuary. Rickie remains there with other chimpanzee orphans to the present day. Appealing full-color illustrations pull the reader into this engrossing true story and elicit sympathy for the cause of the chimpanzees. Jane Goodall's letter at the end provides information about ways that people can help young chimps like Rickie. 2004, Minedition/Penguin, Ages 5 to 8.—Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.