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kelinelle's review against another edition
5.0
As a disabled person, I hate when disability is portrayed as something to overcome. This book handles living with a disability, instead of overcoming one, and I deeply appreciate that.
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
5.0
I first became aware of Alan Rabinowitz through The Moth, where he told the story contained in this superbly illustrated picture book. As a boy, Alan struggled with speaking, even being labeled as mentally disabled. The only times he was able t speak correctly was while singing or while talking to animals. Eventually, when his problems were identified as a stutter, he was able to get proper training to manage his speech. Being made voiceless as a child, only helped by his animal friends, Alan decided to be a voice for the animals, devoting his life to establishing nature preserves.
The drawings in this book are at times charming, as when young Alan sings to his pets or speaks to the jaguar in the zoo, but also painful, such as Alan's medical exams and the image of a hunter riding away on his horse, a dead jaguar thrown over the horse's back. The latter might upset some children, but the image should be balanced out by the images of jaguars running free in their new preserve.
This was a perfect choice for the Schneider Family Book Award. I'd even consider purchasing this for my personal collection!
The drawings in this book are at times charming, as when young Alan sings to his pets or speaks to the jaguar in the zoo, but also painful, such as Alan's medical exams and the image of a hunter riding away on his horse, a dead jaguar thrown over the horse's back. The latter might upset some children, but the image should be balanced out by the images of jaguars running free in their new preserve.
This was a perfect choice for the Schneider Family Book Award. I'd even consider purchasing this for my personal collection!
marypaz13's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
4.0
A tearjerker for sure.
An autobiography for children about Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.
Talks about being different because of a disability and how animals helped him love himself while showing his love for them.
It shows how difficult growing up stuttering, even as an adult.
Won the Schneider Family Book Award.
An autobiography for children about Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.
Talks about being different because of a disability and how animals helped him love himself while showing his love for them.
It shows how difficult growing up stuttering, even as an adult.
Won the Schneider Family Book Award.
thestoryowl's review against another edition
4.0
A very good biography that deals with stuttering and how one man learned to be his best. I do, however, feel like the last line of that story would have actually been "and then it mauled me to death"
annabannana's review against another edition
5.0
7 year old boy gives this 5 stars. I agree.
(I was disturbed at the idea that a zoo allowed people to get so close to a jaguar that they could put their faces up to the cage bars, but that wasn't the point of the story at all. I certainly was also disturbed that the jaguar was housed by herself in a barred cage.)
(I was disturbed at the idea that a zoo allowed people to get so close to a jaguar that they could put their faces up to the cage bars, but that wasn't the point of the story at all. I certainly was also disturbed that the jaguar was housed by herself in a barred cage.)
carolineinthelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful biography of Alan who worked to overcome a stutter in order to speak up for animals who have no voice at all. I absolutely love that this book could be read at storytime and used as an example of non-fiction works that read like stories.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
Review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=5561
I loved loved loved this book. The messages about animals and human are the same: all living things should be respected.
Reread 4-3-15
Wish there was back matter to learn more!
I loved loved loved this book. The messages about animals and human are the same: all living things should be respected.
Reread 4-3-15
Wish there was back matter to learn more!
ragesandpages's review against another edition
3.0
At first glance, the illustrations of the book are gorgeous. It is stylized, but when emotions like fear or anger are displayed, the pictures prominently evoke that emotion. The colors flow along with the abstractness of the pictures well.
Alan is similar to the animals in which he loves; they cannot speak and "get the words out" and neither can he. While Alan grows up, he still feels broken inside even though he has overcame his stutter. But he then talks about how he is now a voice for the jaguars and other endangered animals in the world. He's at home with the animals.
Readers should be aware that the tone of the book is from a conservationist point of view. The author explains that the animals should be saved, but doesn't really allow for more explanation other than hunters are killing them for "their bodies", which is understandable for a picture book. This book is one of the titles listed for my essentials of children's literature class that I have coming up in the next semester; I'll give it a three for the illustrations, but the story seems a bit scattered and should be more cohesive.
Themes: speech disabilities, stuttering, conversation, wild cats -- jaguars
Alan is similar to the animals in which he loves; they cannot speak and "get the words out" and neither can he. While Alan grows up, he still feels broken inside even though he has overcame his stutter. But he then talks about how he is now a voice for the jaguars and other endangered animals in the world. He's at home with the animals.
Readers should be aware that the tone of the book is from a conservationist point of view. The author explains that the animals should be saved, but doesn't really allow for more explanation other than hunters are killing them for "their bodies", which is understandable for a picture book. This book is one of the titles listed for my essentials of children's literature class that I have coming up in the next semester; I'll give it a three for the illustrations, but the story seems a bit scattered and should be more cohesive.
Themes: speech disabilities, stuttering, conversation, wild cats -- jaguars
aylea's review against another edition
4.0
Alan has a stutter that makes it hard for him to talk to humans, but when he talks to animals he can speak just fine. One day when he goes to the Bronx Zoo, he is sad because of how barren the jaguar exhibit is. At school, he is put in a class for disturbed children. The school thinks he is broken, but at home he can sing and talk to all of his pets. After years of hard work, he learns how to talk without a stutter but he still feels broken instead. When he goes to the jungle to study jaguars, he finds his voice and uses it to speak for the animals. Finally he feels whole instead of broken.
This beautifully-illustrated book is an excellent resource to talk about protecting animal species as well as to talk about impediments, such as having a stutter. It tells the true story of Alan Rabinowitz, a man that Time Magazine called ‘The Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation.” Parents and teachers can talk to children about protecting wildlife and about finding gifts and talents that are uniquely yours whether you have a challenge, like stuttering, or not.
This beautifully-illustrated book is an excellent resource to talk about protecting animal species as well as to talk about impediments, such as having a stutter. It tells the true story of Alan Rabinowitz, a man that Time Magazine called ‘The Indiana Jones of wildlife conservation.” Parents and teachers can talk to children about protecting wildlife and about finding gifts and talents that are uniquely yours whether you have a challenge, like stuttering, or not.