Suryia & Roscoe

PreS-Gr 2—Suryia, an orangutan, lives on a South Carolina preserve called The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species. One day he was out walking with his friend, Bubbles, an elephant, when a stray dog came out of the woods and bounded up to him. The two bonded immediately and became best pals. Other preserve inhabitants, like the tigers, pumas, lions, leopard, gators, turtles, and tapirs are all shown in the engaging photographs. There are brief glimpses of the wildlife refuge, but Suryia and Roscoe take center stage as their friendly affection is documented again and again. Several portraits of the animals have no backgrounds and are decorative rather than informative. Brief text is smoothly paced and explains how the animals met and the relationship they developed. They are shown taking walks, wrestling, eating, and sleeping; they also swim together, which is extremely unusual because orangutans don't normally swim. The photos capture moments that show the keeper's careful attention to safety, such as Suryia wearing a life vest in the water, and another of the orangutan leading his friend on a leash, which suggests staging. This is a thin tale, but the engaging animals will appeal to children.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA