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A young Vietnamese wildlife conservationist sets out on a quest to help one special sun bear return to the rainforest in Saving Sorya, a vibrant graphic novel for middle grade readers.
Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung. Dial Books, 2021. 128 pages.
- Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12
- Recommended For: ages 8-15
Ever since Chang saw bile being extracted from a moon bear, this plucky young woman was determined to be a wildlife conservationist and save bears. Despite challenges, she is finally accepted as a volunteer at a bear rescue. There she falls in love with a young sun bear, Sorya, and makes it her personal mission to reintroduce Sarya to the rainforest. But first, Chang must find a safe forest for Sorya.
SAVING SORYA: AN AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE
Based on Trang Nguyen’s own experience, beautiful illustrations by Jeet Zdung bring the Vietnamese rainforest in all its luscious glory to life. Vibrant illustrated panels reflect Sorya’s infectious, loveable personality and animate Chang, the story’s plucky heroine.
In Saving Sorya, the author and illustrator capture the sadness of bears that need rescuing, and the harm humans can do to bears and rainforests. Still, this is a vibrant, hopeful tale introducing young readers to the valuable work and impact of wildlife conservationists.
Young readers who love books like One Small Square Tropical Rain Forest (Amazon link) will delight in this next step, combining story with science. In a particularly fascinating illustrated panel, the authors show how conservationists enlist local villagers and employ them to combat poaching in the surrounding rainforest.
Considerations: None
Bottom Line: An excellent graphic novel for middle grade nature lovers, Saving Sorya will encourage individual aspiring wildlife conservationists to creation care and stewardship.
Related Reading From Redeemed Reader
- Review: We loved Saving H’Non: Chang and the Elephant by this same team!
- Reviews: We also loved the Rwendigo Tales; one of the volumes includes poaching and deforestation as an issue.
- Review: For the grownups, you may be interested in Let Creation Rejoice, a book we also recommended in The Redeemed Reader.
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