Book Description
for The Watcher by Jeanette Winter
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Jeanette Winter’s quietly alluring picture book account of researcher Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees in Tanzania pairs a brief, accessible text with lovely, colorful naïve style illustrations detailing scenes from Goodall’s life and work. Goodall’s passion, patience (“'You have to be patient if you want to learn about animals,’ she wrote”), and love for the chimpanzees and the natural world come through strongly in a work that incorporates some of the observations Jane made about her subjects into the narrative (“Jane watched the chimps when they were happy. She saw them hold hands and hug and kiss and laugh—just like us.”) Winter’s art has a touch of whimsy and a strong sense of Goodall’s deep connection to her work. (Ages 5–9)
CCBC Choices 2012. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2012. Used with permission.