Animal Rescue Club (I Can Read Level 4) - Softcover

Himmelman, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0064442241 ISBN 13: 9780064442244

Publisher: William Morrow, 1999

Synopsis

Who do you call when a squirrel is trapped in a mud puddle or a baby opossum is stuck in a drainpipe ?Meet Jeffrey, Beaner, Raymond, and Mike--the Animal Resuce club! Adventures wait around every corner as this intrepid band of kids, working with a Wildlife Rehabilitator, helps the wild animals in our neighborhood.John Himmelman's action-packed story and lively art is based on his firsthand experience with wild-animal rescue groups. This inside look at kids saving animals is certain to fascinate young nature lovers.

About this title

From the Author:

The Origin of The Animal Rescue Club
Back in the mid-eighties, I read an article in the newspaper about a woman who started an organization in which kids worked with orphaned and injured wild animals. Her name was (still is) Anita Porto, and the organization was called The Nature Connection. I contacted Anita, and asked her if she needed any help building cages for the animals. Little did I know that this would lead to years of involvement in working with that organization, from building cages, editing the newsletter, working shifts with the kids and animals, to eventually becoming president.

The most amazing aspect of The Nature Connection, and the focus I hoped to provide in "The Animal Rescue Club", was how a group of kids - very different in backgrounds and strengths - would come together to form an incredible life-saving team. These kids dealt with life and death decisions, suffered the losses, and celebrated the victories. The life lessons learned in those years were immeasurable! And the success rate of wild animal release FAR exceeded the national average of wildlife rehabilitators.

Some of the situations in The Animal Rescue Club, such as the Canada Goose whose deformed foot was fixed with a crumpled wad of paper and tape, were similar to the ones we met at The Nature Connection. In the book, as in real life experience, there are touch-and-go moments. There is also humor and laughter. What I tried to stress most, though, was the teamwork between individuals, very different on the surface, but very alike on the inside. It's amazing what children can accomplish with a little encouragement!

On a side note: Once this book came out, I couldn't wait to give a copy of it to Anita, to whom it was dedicated. I was all set to hand it to her when she pre-empted me with her own copy, the one she had already ordered from Amazon Books!

About the Author:

John Himmelman is the illustrator of Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights, and several other children's books, including the popular Buzby, an I Can Read Book by Julia Hoban. He lives in Killingworth, CT.

John Himmelman is the illustrator of Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights, and several other children's books, including the popular Buzby, an I Can Read Book by Julia Hoban. He lives in Killingworth, CT.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0064442241
• ISBN 13: 9780064442244
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 48