ME...JANE is an exceptional picturebook story about Jane Goodall's childhood. It is the lovely tale of a young girl named Jane who sought to learn about the plants and animals she encountered within her own surroundings as well as those that she would read about in books.
"It was a magical world full of joy and wonder, and Jane felt very much part of it."
Having read and reread the books about Tarzan of the Apes,
"Jane dreamed of a life in Africa, too...
"a life living with, and helping, all animals.
"At night Jane would tuck Jubilee into bed, say her prayers. and fall
asleep...
"to awake one day...
"to her dreams come true."
Fortunately for the world, Jane Goodall had a supportive mother who encouraged her daughter's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about nature, thereby helping make those dreams come true. In showing how this is actually the story of a real childhood, Patrick McDonnell has included several pages
of Goodall's own childhood sketches amidst his illustrations.
"I woke up today, I was crying
Lost in a lost world"
-- Mike Pinder (1972)
Unfortunately, as we know, what remains of our natural world is but a shadow of what existed back when Jane Goodall first followed her dream and began studying chimpanzee social and family life in the early sixties. Thanks to shortsightedness, tyrannical governments, and humankind's failure to protect what once was, we have lost so much that is irretrievable, and continue to lose more of our planet's natural treasures every day.
ME...JANE was clearly a labor of love for animal/environmental activist Patrick McDonnell. That it models a girl studying science, and will inspire love for learning about and cherishing our world's precious natural
heritage, makes this introduction to Jane Goodall a must-have for children's collections.
Recommended by Richie Partington, MLIS, California
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