(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. After The One and Only Ivan (rev. 1/12) and The One and Only Bob (rev. 7/20), it's now young elephant Ruby's turn to tell her story. Having relocated to a new wildlife park in Florida (with Ivan, the silverback gorilla; and Bob, the wisecracking dog), Ruby has been adopted into a new elephant herd. Tuskday (the "traditional celebration after the arrival of a young elephant's tusks") is fast approaching, and she is exceptionally anxious about the rite of passage. Ruby gets an unexpected visitor one day when Jabori, who cared for her in an elephant orphanage in Africa, comes to visit. This joyful reunion provides the impetus for her to share the full story of her traumatic past, beginning with her mother being hunted and killed for her tusks. A conversation with the wise matriarch of the wildlife park's herd gives Ruby the courage to proceed with the Tuskday celebration. The book features Applegate's trademark verse-prose; appealing spot illustrations; and the hallmark themes of the series: adversity, trauma, friendship, resilience, and hope. An author's note discusses the plight of elephants in captivity and the continuing devastation of the ivory trade in the wild.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jeet Zdung. Nguyen's graphic novel "based on a true adventure" tells the story of a girl named Chang, who is an aspiring wildlife conservationist, and her efforts to protect Vietnam's native species and natural environments. Accompanying Chang is Sorya, a sun bear rescued in Laos, who must learn survival skills before she can be safely returned to the forest. Zdung's expressive, expansive comics-style panels depict Sorya's many playful antics moment by moment, as well as the fast-paced tension in more dangerous interactions in the wild. Clever picture-within-picture illustrations from Chang's field-notebook sketches incorporate information on topics ranging from bear species to the many ways humans exploit wild animals for profit. The warmth of the characters' relationship is conveyed with a minimum of anthropomorphism. The conversational narrative is occasionally paused by gorgeous interspersed partial-to-full spreads of Vietnamese rainforest landscapes filled with the heat, moisture, and density of tropical plant and animal life. Sorya eventually returns to the wild, while Chang continues her lifelong efforts to protect the forests and their inhabitants from human exploitation done through development, farming, dams, and the illegal animal trade. Brief author and illustrator notes are appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(3) 4-6 Nandu (What Elephants Know), a young elephant driver in Nepal, cares for his elephant Hira Prashad and welcomes breeding elephants to a new nursery in the Borderlands. When poachers begin killing nearby rhinoceroses, Nandu sets out to track the poachers to their base. Rich descriptions of the jungle, touching relationships between humans and elephants, and a strong conservation message give this novel its warm heart. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) K-3 This accessible series (If Sharks Disappeared; If Polar Bears Disappeared) examines the projected impacts of removing a single prominent, vulnerable species from an ecosystem. Williams explains that the African forest elephant is a keystone species in the Congo Basin, as the distances they travel--and their poop--help spread plant seeds throughout the forests. The richly colored, cartoony illustrations on each double-page spread creatively alternate perspectives. Appended notes provide more details on threats to all elephant species, as well as steps readers can take to help. Websites. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) 4-6 Billy discovers that his long-absent dad has a job that's both dangerous and noble: tracking down poachers who are killing threatened wildlife. His father sets his sights on a rich hunter who wants to kill both a Montana grizzly and a Florida black panther. This pulse-pounding environmentalist adventure story features nuanced characters and enduring themes about family, the environment, and the ends justifying the means.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) 4-6 Brought back from the edge of extinction in the twentieth century, white rhinoceroses are once again being hunted, now for their horns. Markle details conservation efforts with a sense of optimism, despite the current grim situation. The text, which also includes information about rhinos' anatomy, habitat, and behavior, is brought to life with many large, clear photos. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 When twelve-year-old Lloyd was growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, his grandfather, Maas Conrad, taught Lloyd everything he knew about the sea, fishing, and boats; now Maas Conrad is missing somewhere in the vast waters of the Caribbean Sea. The intriguing, poignant story is told from Lloyd's and occasionally his grandfather's perspectives, allowing readers to view the survival mystery and family drama from both vantage points.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Brooklyn Allen. This third novel based on the popular Lumberjanes comics finds the girls preparing for a theatrical festival at their summer camp for "Hardcore Lady-Types." But song-loving Ripley is distracted by a rescue mission related to a mysterious egg she found. Monochromatic red illustrations, snappy feminist-focused dialogue, fantasy elements, and colorful characters keep the plot rocketing forward. As usual, friendship and individuality are important overarching themes.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(2) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Edver, in Cuba for the summer with the scientist father he's never met, is shocked to learn he has a twelve-year-old sister. Luza resents Edver's privileged life, but the siblings bond over their mutual love of the jungle's plants and wildlife and work together to save their country's living heritage. Through alternating chapters, Edver's and Luza's stories are told in Engle's signature verse style. Glos.

Reviewer: Alma Ramos-McDermott | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(4) 4-6 New Jungle Book Adventures series. Illustrated by Javier Joaquin. London boy Mak must use his wits to survive after a boat accident in the Indian jungle. Mak learns from wolves, a panther, and a bear while fending off threats from cobras, poachers, and more. A pedestrian reboot of Kipling's famous tale told in straightforward prose, this contemporary wilderness-survival story cashes in on TV-adventurer Grylls's famous can-do approach. Survival tips appended.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Holly Berry. For forty years, Cynthia Moss has studied the elephants in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, and has fought against ivory poaching through lectures and fundraising. The seriousness of the realities of poaching and Moss's work and activism is undermined by the book's jarring refrain ("Cynthia Moss was not afraid of BIG things"). Colorful mixed-media illustrations are naive and charming. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) 4-6 After FunJungle Wild Animal Park's pregnant rhinoceros is targeted by a hunter, twelve-year-old Teddy agrees (not entirely voluntarily) to help nab the poacher. Hunting-related facts and details get too much attention in this third installment, and there's less of the slapstick silliness that made Belly Up and Poached so laugh-out-loud funny. That said, tricky red herrings make for a twisty-turny whodunit.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Greetings from Somewhere series. Illustrated by Marcos Calo. Twins Ella and Ethan head with their travel-writer mom and homeschooling dad to Australia, where they visit their mom's sister and her family. While snorkeling at night in the Coral Sea, the twins and their cousin discover poachers stealing coral from a protected reef. Travel guide–like highlights add some flavor to the otherwise standard chapter-book mystery. Black-and-white illustrations are included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 National Geographic Kids Mission series. These comprehensive introductions feature facts about the titular animal, anecdotes about individuals, updates from scientists working in the field, and challenges to species survival. Each chapter ends with "rescue activities," ranging from simple energy-saving suggestions to specific ways to help these animals to vague political actions. Excellent photos are eye-catching, but the page design is busy. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following titles: Mission: Elephant Rescue and Mission: Polar Bear Rescue.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(2) YA Tanzanian Habo is an albino. He is being pursued by an ivory poacher who is trying to murder Habo for his body parts (superstition holds they can be used for good-luck charms). Sullivan excels at conveying Habo's feelings of freakishness and alienation, and her efforts to draw attention to this real-life human rights abuse are commendable. A glossary and resources are appended.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(4) 4-6 Travels with Gannon & Wyatt series. This new series emphasizes global citizenship, multiculturalism, and wildlife conservation. Twin brothers encounter wounded lions, the prey of poachers (Botswana); in an unforgiving Canadian wilderness, they must embark on a search-and-rescue mission for missing members of their expedition (Rainforest). Based on real boys' experiences, the fictionalized journal entries, illustrated with black-and-white photos, are convincing, but the voices aren't always distinguishable. Review covers these Gannon & Wyatt titles: Botswana and Great Bear Rainforest.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Wild Rescue series. Illustrated by Diane Le Feyer. Eleven-year-old twins Ben and Zoe work with their uncle, founder of WILD, an organization rescuing endangered species, on undercover spy missions; in these volumes they head to Sumatra (Poacher) and South Borneo (Rainforest). Forced dialogue hampers the stories, but unique settings, bad guys, and dangerous situations add excitement. Information on endangered species, discussion questions, and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these Wild Rescue titles: Rainforest Rescue and Poacher Panic.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Orca Currents series. Though forbidden to do so, fourteen-year-old Maya sneaks out every day in her kayak to the nearby kelp beds to observe a family of sea otters. But Maya soon discovers that the otters--and her family--are in danger from poachers. It's a predictable read, but fast-paced seafaring action and tense plotting will satisfy the hi-lo set.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) 4-6 Orca Currents series. Robyn's volunteer work at the local zoo leads her, with cousins Nick and Trevor, to investigate grizzly bear poaching. Discovering that bears are being killed for their gall bladders, the friends leap to solve the mystery. The story's fast pace and ethical issues may grab reluctant readers, despite the underdeveloped characters and sketchy plot.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) YA Surfer Billy unwittingly joins the crew of a modern-day pirate ship trolling for tuna. When Billy protests that dolphins are being killed during the process, he's left at sea. A dolphin saves him, and he joins two young environmentalists on their crusade against the pirates. Dixon (a creator of Flipper)'s passion for the subject comes through, despite some melodramatic dialogue.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson