QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO - Sy Montgomery

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Montgomery, Sy. 2006. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea. Photos by Nic Bishop. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-49641-6

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop accompany scientist Lisa Dabek on a field expedition to study tree kangaroos in New Guinea. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo provides an inside look at preparing for and conducting a field expedition, describes the ecology of the New Guinea cloud forest, and outlines conservation efforts to protect this unique habitat and its animals. Because this was true research, the book gives readers an introduction to what is known about the rare and elusive tree kangaroo, but leaves the reader understanding that much about this animal is still a mystery waiting to be discovered.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Montgomery and Bishop have developed a number of outstanding nonfiction books for children about the natural world. Montgomery writes about animals for both children and adults, and is active in the conservation movement. Bishop has earned a doctorate in biological sciences and lived in Papua New Guinea as a teen, making him an exemplary choice for this book. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo has been recognized as an outstanding book by the Sibert Award and the National Science Teachers Association, experts in evaluating nonfiction science books.

As a participant in the field expedition, Montgomery can be trusted to create an accurate retelling. Many facts about the cloud forest ecosystem are given. Montgomery may have used sources inappropriate for the reading level of children, or may have gotten the facts about the New Guinea ecosystem from team scientists, but that is not indicated in a bibliography. Montgomery does not shy away from unanswered questions. The basis of all science is asking questions and being curious to find the answers.

The book follows the expedition chronologically, first introducing Lisa Dabek, the lead scientist. Then begins the planning for the team and equipment (a detailed list is included in the book). Montgomery describes the challenges of traveling to a remote location. Having arrived in New Guinea, she paints a portrait of the villagers at the team’s base camp and teaches local phrases in Tok Pisin. Former hunters of tree kangaroos, the villagers are now part of conservation efforts to protect the tree kangaroo and its ecosystem, seeing this animal as a symbol of what makes their home unique. The villagers have welcomed Dabek and participate in the research team. A substantial portion of the book relates what it is really like to be a field scientist: the arduous trek into the mountains, the difficulties of a makeshift research site, the cold river baths, the soaking rain, the leaches, the waiting and disappointments, but also the thrill of new discoveries and new questions to be answered.

The trip, of course, has to end, and the reader accompanies Dabek back to her zoo in the United States and learns about Dabek’s continuing involvement with team members in New Guinea. Dabek shares suggestions for how children can be active in wildlife conservation, there are online resources to learn more about tree kangaroos, and a short Tok Pisin glossary and quiz. Notes from both Montgomery and Bishop describe the challenges particular to this project and how enjoyable it was to work together again.

  

Montgomery’s enthusiasm for this trip, despite its challenges, comes across through her text. She even says that she had wanted to accompany Dabek on a trip to see tree kangaroos for years. Montgomery uses a very conversational style of writing, almost as if she were sitting next to the reader pointing through a photo album. She imparts humor and wonder through her recollections of the trip. At times, Montgomery speaks directly to the reader, even challenging them to be part of the science (for example, asking if they can convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius). The information she gives tempts the reader into wanting more. While there is a great deal of information in the book, it is not overwhelming because of the way it is presented. There is enough text, including some higher-level vocabulary like “resplendent,” that this book would be most suited to older elementary or middle school students.

For verbal access, the book does not include a table of contents, but does provide section headings, an index, and page numbers to aid readers in finding specific information. Captions provide details about the subject of each image. Pronunciation guides are given where necessary.

The colors of the cover font jump out from the black background and echo the colors of the cloud forest within the book. The book design of Quest incorporates visual access features to give readers greater understanding. The first full spread of the book is a pair of watercolor maps created by one of the team members. This allows the reader to know where the team is headed and introduces some of the animals found in that region. This is especially important for children, who may not know where New Guinea is located. The blow-up map gives a compass and scale in miles. Introductory pages to each section have a washed out photograph as the background as another clue to the shift in topic. Interludes about the region are interspersed in the text on contrasting-color pages between sections. This format makes it easy to distinguish the two types of content and does not interrupt the flow of text about the expedition.

The contribution of Nic Bishop’s photographs cannot be overstated. They allow the reader to travel to New Guinea along with the team. The nearly life-size photo of the tree kangaroo on the cover begs the reader to reach out and touch its soft-looking fur and velvety nose. The size and vibrancy of the photos make the scenery and animals come alive on the pages. The reader can peer over the shoulders of the scientists as they do their work, seeing what it is really like to do science. While it is disappointing that there are not more photos of the title character, the truth is that the reader sees all the tree kangaroos that the actual team does. The tree kangaroos are mysterious and rare. Like the scientists, we yearn to see more.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) AND AWARDS

Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book, 2006

Orbis Pictus Award for nonfiction from the National Council of Teachers of English, 2007

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Henry Bergh Children's Book Award Non-Fiction Environment and Ecology, 2006

A Green Earth Honor Book from the Newton Marasco Foundation, 2007

Washington Post top ten books of the year for children, 2006

ALA Notable Children's Books, 2007

Booklist Editor's Choice, 2006

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 2006

National Science Teachers Association Council on Children's Books Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 Selection, 2007

H. W. Wilson’s Children’s Core Collection, Most highly recommended

School Library Journal: “Montgomery and Bishop continue their outstanding collaboration to introduce readers to scientists at work. . .  Bishop’s photographs capture the expedition in detail. Stunning close-ups of plants, insects, and birds vie for attention with panoramas of moss-draped trees in the eerie, ancient forest. Montgomery describes both the hardships and exhilaration of the enterprise. . .  Dabek’s . . . suggestions about exploring the natural world should encourage young scientists. The book’s fascinating glimpses into a little-explored region will hold the attention of anyone interested in unusual creatures and the efforts to study them.”

BookList: “Montgomery gives an unusually strong, visceral sense of the work and cooperation fieldwork entails and the scope and uniqueness of this particular mission. She also communicates the thrill of studying animals in the wild, making observations, and discovering new information. As usual, Bishop's color photographs are exemplary and extend the excitement in stunning close-ups of creatures and of the team at work.”

Kirkus: “[Montgomery] paces her narrative well, alternating focus on people and place, keeping the reader engaged and concerned about the expedition's success. . . Her detailed account highlights scientific work habits, including extensive planning, necessary patience, careful observations and recording and the continual questions that arise. . . Bishop's photographs, shots of the expedition members, striking close-ups of flora and fauna including the sought-for kangaroo and lush, green cloud forest scenes, are beautifully reproduced. . . another commendable title from an experienced team.”

Horn Book: “Montgomery's friendliness and curiosity set the tone: she enthusiastically engages with the people, plants, and animals she encounters on the trip. The realities of field work, with long periods of not much happening scientifically, give her time to include descriptions of camp life in a remote location, such as campfire cooking and bathing in streams. Bishop's photography is, as always, outstanding, and seamlessly integrated into the narrative. The brilliant colors and sharp focus capture a host of rainforest plants and animals up close, including the adorably fuzzy tree kangaroos. Equally absorbing are his photos of the local residents and the research team as they visit and camp together. Dabek's advice to young naturalists, websites for further information, a list of words and phrases in the local language, and an index are useful additions.”

National Science Teachers Association: “This book is an incredible description of how people continue to learn about animals in the natural world. It highlights environmental appreciation, the excitement and challenges of scientific discovery, and collaborative conservation efforts. . . There are descriptions of methods and beautiful photographs. The human side of this scientific endeavor will lure middle and secondary readers to look further.”

Washington Post: “Together, Montgomery and Bishop convey the challenges of such an expedition, which involves several other scientists and a contingent of locals who carry gear and provide valuable assistance as guides. Bishop’s sharply focused photographs have a ‘you are there’ quality, while Montgomery vividly captures the scientists’ excitement when they snare several tree kangaroos — each the size of a small dog or overweight cat — to fit them with radio collars for tracking from afar.”

5. CONNECTIONS

-          Watch a video where Montgomery discusses the Scientists in the Field series, what it means to be a scientist, how she journals for her books, and working with Nic Bishop at TeachingBooks.net (this is a subscription site). Set this up to run in advance, it needs buffering time to play without pauses. This would be a good introduction before reading Quest.

-          Investigate class activities for this book at http://symontgomery.com/wp-content/themes/toolbox/downloads/kangaroo-activities.pdf

-          Read a biography about Sy Montgomery and watch an interview with her about how she became fascinated with animals and why she writes books about them. There is also an interview segment about working with Nic Bishop.

http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/montgomery/

-          Check out funny interview questions with Sy Montgomery.

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Sy-Montgomery/1128761/author_revealed

-          After reading about some of her animal adventures in the back of Quest and at http://symontgomery.com/?page_id=29, poll students to see whether they would be brave enough to go to work with her! What would be their favorite animals? What would be their least favorites? Why?

-          Read what Nic Bishop has to say about himself.

http://www.nicbishop.com/nic_bishop_003.htm

-          Learn about how Nic Bishop takes his photos.

http://www.nicbishop.com/nic_bishop_027.htm

http://www.nicbishop.com/nic_bishop_002.htm

-          Find out how Nic Bishop researches for his books.

http://www.nicbishop.com/nic_bishop_029.htm

-          Take time to visit the websites listed in the book to learn more.

-          Take up a class, grade, or school collection to donate to one of the charities. Students could make posters, glogs, or powerpoints with facts about tree kangaroos, cloud forests, and New Guinea to encourage people to donate.

-          Examine other books by Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop (independently or together) or other books in the Scientists in the Field series.