ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Using an oversize picture-book format to good effect, the Lewins recount a trip they took in 1997 to visit Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to meet the mountain gorilla. Briefly captioned, thumbnail watercolors picture the jungle trek, and magnificent double-page spreads replicate the exotic surroundings and show the animals close up. A good deal of the text, which is told in Ted Lewin's voice, concerns the arduous but exhilarating journey to the sites, but there is also information on the gorillas themselves, with basics supplied in a double-page spread at the close of the book. The Lewins also provide historical context as well as some insight into the controversial trend toward ecotourism. The personal voice and picture-book approach will definitely win an audience, but children needing report material will want to pair this with other books for a full view of the regal endangered animal. (Reviewed August 1999)

Horn Book (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

The walk to view mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest of Uganda is rigorous, to say the least. Through handsome paintings and carefully focused text, the Lewins recount their 1997 venture into Bwindi, offering intriguing glimpses of both the rarely seen animals and the ambiguities of ecotourism. Concluding pages offer quick facts on physical characteristics and behavior. Ind.

Kirkus Reviews (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

PLB 0-688-16510-9 This true adventure in the jungles of Uganda on the trail of the mountain gorilla will make armchair travelers shiver, and leave the squeamish grateful not to be trudging through mucky ankle-deep swamps, traversing giant fallen fig tree bridges over ravines that drop hundreds of feet into rocks and thorns, and coping with dreaded stinging safari ants. The Lewins traveled to Uganda in 1997, to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for an opportunity to view the mountain gorillas that have been habituated. Every step of the way the authors provide thumbnail sketches of plants and animals, and a detailed description of the journey. The gorillas appear in watercolor paintings that are dramatic and realistic, for a picture- book adventure not to be missed, and, with the continuing unrest in the area, perhaps not to be replicated any time soon. (map, index) (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-10)

School Library Journal (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Gr 4 Up-This gorgeous book is the illustrated journal of the Lewins' trip to Uganda to see the mountain gorilla. An introduction talks about this endangered species, where the animals can be found, and describes the process of "habituation," which allows for ecotourists to visit them on a limited basis. Each page is rich with captioned, border drawings that offer glimpses at the terrain, animals, and people that the couple encountered on their difficult journey through the jungle, battling heat, bugs, and mud. Side drawings show their progress, providing humorous asides, such as the drawing of two men falling down a muddy slope with the caption, "Ted takes out a porter." Interspersed with the text are lush, watercolor double-page spreads showing the humans walking through the sun-dappled trees, and, later, the gorillas among the leaves. Readers learn about the animals' habits, their family structure, and how trackers interact with them. A final section gives facts about mountain gorillas. Throughout, the authors transmit their wonder and respect for the creatures. Although young children may be interested in leafing through and "reading" the pictures, the book's tone and vocabulary speak to more mature readers. This is a visual feast for the older set who don't often have picture books written for them, suitable for reports, but especially for browsers with an interest in ecology, animals, or travel.-Sally Bates Goodroe, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.