Jaguar, by Roland Smith As some of you know, I have been working with sixth graders all semester as part of my secondary teaching certification program. My students are starting a new themed unit called “the need to survive.” Some of these books sounded interesting, so I volunteered to take one home with me and see what it was all about. I took home Jaguar, and I am so happy I did. Simply amazing book!
Jacob “Jake” Lansa, after spending a year with his father in Kenya, is upset when he is left behind to live at his grandfather’s retirement home while Jake’s father, Doc, goes off to Brazil to start up a jaguar preserve. When Jake finally gets a chance to visit, he hopes to convince his father to let him stay in the Amazon instead of being sent back to Poughkeepsie, New York. After a violent accident, Doc has no choice but to let Jake come along if the jaguar preserve is going to be created. However, more danger seems to follow as they hire a suspicious boat driver and Jake believes a man with a scar is following the expedition. Jake is a valued member of the team, but has some difficulty trying to accept the fact that while his father was away in Brazil, he never tried to contact Jake, not even when Doc started to date a botanist named Flanna. Not only does Jake have family issues to deal with, but he also has to find a way to survive in the jungle and save the day when serious peril catches up with the group trying to set up a wildlife preserve.
Roland Smith is a research biologist as well as a children’s author. It is no wonder then that so much of his book is extremely detailed towards the environment of Brazil and what happens to the plants, animals and indigenous people when explorers come in search of resources. The characters are dynamic and the plot is captivating. I kept thinking to myself that I would love to see this as a movie. Even though it is intended for ages “10 and up” and has a fifth grade reading level, I really think anyone with a sense of adventure can love this book. It has mystery and excitement, all wrapped up in a brilliantly written plot where things intertwined perfectly throughout the novel. It is a very well thought out plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat while also educating readers about issues in Brazil and the rainforest.
I loved this book. It definitely fits into the adventure category and had me constantly turning pages to see what happens next. I did not feel like I was reading a young adult novel and therefore feel comfortable in recommending this book to everyone with eyes. I really want this to become a movie, just so more people know about it and because I think it would be good. I’d pay to see it.
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all.”
- Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacob “Jake” Lansa, after spending a year with his father in Kenya, is upset when he is left behind to live at his grandfather’s retirement home while Jake’s father, Doc, goes off to Brazil to start up a jaguar preserve. When Jake finally gets a chance to visit, he hopes to convince his father to let him stay in the Amazon instead of being sent back to Poughkeepsie, New York. After a violent accident, Doc has no choice but to let Jake come along if the jaguar preserve is going to be created. However, more danger seems to follow as they hire a suspicious boat driver and Jake believes a man with a scar is following the expedition. Jake is a valued member of the team, but has some difficulty trying to accept the fact that while his father was away in Brazil, he never tried to contact Jake, not even when Doc started to date a botanist named Flanna. Not only does Jake have family issues to deal with, but he also has to find a way to survive in the jungle and save the day when serious peril catches up with the group trying to set up a wildlife preserve.
Roland Smith is a research biologist as well as a children’s author. It is no wonder then that so much of his book is extremely detailed towards the environment of Brazil and what happens to the plants, animals and indigenous people when explorers come in search of resources. The characters are dynamic and the plot is captivating. I kept thinking to myself that I would love to see this as a movie. Even though it is intended for ages “10 and up” and has a fifth grade reading level, I really think anyone with a sense of adventure can love this book. It has mystery and excitement, all wrapped up in a brilliantly written plot where things intertwined perfectly throughout the novel. It is a very well thought out plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat while also educating readers about issues in Brazil and the rainforest.
I loved this book. It definitely fits into the adventure category and had me constantly turning pages to see what happens next. I did not feel like I was reading a young adult novel and therefore feel comfortable in recommending this book to everyone with eyes. I really want this to become a movie, just so more people know about it and because I think it would be good. I’d pay to see it.
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all.”
- Jacqueline Kennedy
I think it is also fitting to know that I read and completed this book on Earth Day. Ironic.
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