The Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Women Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull (Millbrook Press, 40 pages, grades 2-5). The Black Mambas are the first women park rangers in South Africa and the first women-led anti poaching unit in the world. They tell their story, explaining how they first got interested in protecting animals and describing some of the resistance they experienced from friends and family members who weren’t sure women could do this job traditionally held by men. They named themselves after the most feared snake in South Africa. Now they work out, train to survive in the wilderness, and patrol the reserve day and night, looking for signs of poachers and making arrests if they catch them. Their reserve, the Olifants West Nature Reserve, has become one of the most difficult reserves to poach animals, and the Black Mambas’ work has been recognized around the world. Includes more information about some of the animals on the reserve, the NATO Phonetic Alphabet that the rangers use, an author’s note, and a list of additional resources.
I loved this book, and I think a lot of kids will, too. Not only does it feature a lot of animals, but the Black Mambas are inspiring in their dedication, hard work, and success. The photos really capture the reserve the the women at work. I enjoyed the activities in a couple sidebars, like matching animal tracks and reading a map, which will keep kids engaged.
Marjory’s River of Grass: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Fierce Protector of the Everglades by Josie James (Christy Ottaviano Books, 40 pages, grades 2-5). Marjory Stoneman Douglas moved to Florida soon after her graduation from Wellesley College, moving in with her journalist father whom she hadn’t seen since she was six. She joined him on the Miami Herald, starting as a society editor, but soon writing pieces about the Florida Everglades, a mysterious but beautiful ecosystem that her father had introduced her to. As real estate developers rushed to drain and reclaim the land, Marjory and other activists lobbied to make the Everglades a national park, protecting this wild area that provides the majority of southern Florida’s water. The publication of her book The Everglades: A River of Grass helped spread the word about this cause, and in 1947, Everglades National Park was officially dedicated. Despite this conservation effort, developers still sought to build in the Everglades, and Marjory was involved in a successful campaign to stop airport construction there in the 1970’s. Her activism and love for the Everglades continued until her death in 1998 at the age of 108. Includes an author’s note and photo of Marjory, additional information about the importance of clean water, a bibliography, and source notes.
This inspiring biography is an excellent starting point for learning about the life of this dedicated journalist and environmental activist. I appreciate the limitations of a picture book in telling the story of a woman who lived for more than a century, but I was sorry there wasn’t any information about Marjory’s childhood or marriage (both of which sounded pretty traumatic when I looked her up on Wikipedia). The bibliography will help those who want to more about Marjory’s life.
Lady of the Lines: How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert by Michaela MacColl, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Astra Young Readers, 48 pages, grades 2-5). Born in 1903 in Germany, Maria Reiche moved to Peru to be a nanny, but quickly became fascinated by the ancient Incan culture. When American anthropologist Paul Kosok showed her aerial photos of mysterious lines in the Nazca Desert, Maria was hired to investigate them. The Lines became her obsession, and Maria spent the rest of her life exploring and preserving them. She began by buying as many brooms as she could find to sweep away the dust that obscured them. Eventually, she realized that the Lines made shapes of enormous animals: a spider, a monkey, birds, and more. As she learned more about these ancient designs, Maria became an activist for their preservation, fighting off attempts to irrigate the the desert, then dealing with the tourists who came as a result of her publicity campaign. One thing Maria did not succeed at was figuring out the meaning of the designs in the desert, but she claimed to enjoy the mystery. “If everything were clear,” she said, “I would lose interest.” Includes additional information about the Nazca people, the Lines, and Maria, as well as a timeline and lists of additional resources.
Kids are sure to be fascinated by the Nazca Lines, which are now visible to everyone through Google Earth. Maria Reiche is almost as much of a mystery as the Lines are, completely dedicating her life to their study and preservation, to the exclusion, it would seem, of pretty much all else. She definitely is someone who lived life on her own terms and clearly did exactly what she wanted to do.