SAVING SORYA

An uplifting story about wildlife protection in Vietnam (and originally published there) inspired by real events from the wildlife-conservationist author’s life.

After witnessing a brutal bear-bile extraction as a young girl, Chang becomes determined to become a wildlife conservationist. These dreams are met with mockery and derision due to Chang’s age and gender as well as cultural perceptions about conservation as a career. Despite these challenges, Chang persists with studying and is accepted as a volunteer at Cat Tien National Park, narrating it all in a conversational tone that is equally genial in recounting events and presenting fascinating animal facts. At the park, Chang learns how to care for rescued animals and starts volunteering with Free The Bears, another organization. During this time, a young sun bear cub named Sorya is brought to the center from a bear-bile farm. Chang works with Sorya to prepare her for eventual release back into the wild. Zdung’s use of watercolors in his frankly gorgeous illustrations enhances the rainforest setting, and the portrayals of its animal inhabitants are the epitome of wild and free. While the natural images tend to be realistic, the human characters are drawn in a manga-influenced style with elements like oversized eyes, large sweat drops, and speed lines. This blending of styles and varied panel layouts creates dynamic spreads and stunning page turns. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Breathtaking visuals and a compelling story seamlessly integrate conservation facts.