599.88

Profiles the life of the scientist who studied mountain gorillas and worked to insure their survival.

Of the five biographies we read as part of our home school unit on Dian Fossey, we enjoyed this one the most. Used in conjunction with Dian Fossey from the Groundbreakers Series (by Richard and Sara Wood), young readers can get a real feel for and glimpse at the life of Dian Fossey. Where the groundbreakers book was more visually oriented, Among the Gorillas was more like reading a nicely polished story. In this biography, she is not portrayed as an icon, she is made human and readers get a look at her turbulent home life while growing up, her attitudes toward men and marriage, and her struggles in getting a college education (three times before she got it "right") which I think really makes her accessible and presents her life in a way that young readers can relate to. What I really like about this version of her biography is that interspersed throughout the text are boxes that give highlights as to what major events were going on in the world while she was pursuing her dream, giving the whole thing historical context in a way that is really easy to understand. I particularly like the timeline at the end, it lists her major life events and in a slightly lighter shade, significant historical events as well, this is great for quick review and to really place what she was doing in a larger context. This book gets a A+ from me and I'd recommend it highly (ages 8-12 or so)! ( )