“Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet” by David McLimans.
Walker and Company, New York, 2006, 32 pages, Grades 3-5.
The treatment of the environment is an important subject. In the past, nature just seemed to be something that needed to be “tamed.” This short-sighted view led to terrible consequences with the extinction of many species of birds, animals and insects.
People scoffing at the problem believe that it is not such a big deal to lose species because of agricultural practices or building cities where forests used to stand. Unfortunately, everything comes with a cost. When one species is lost in the ecological food chain, the entire natural cycle is affected. David McLimans has written an alphabet book on this topic. All the letters represent an endangered animal or bird.
McLimans hauntingly draws all the letters in black and white. It is clear that people need to pay more attention to this critical problem. The name of this book is: “Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet.”
The book begins with an introduction, addressing the problems contributing to the disappearance of so many species of animals and birds.
The Letter A represents the Chinese Alligator. Found in China, this species of alligator has continually lost habitat because of farming practices. As the wetlands and marshes are drained, the Chinese Alligator loses its breeding grounds and natural environment.
The Madagascar Tree Boa is used for the Letter B. This curious boa hunts in dark regions of the jungle and only lives on the island of Madagascar. As the jungles and forests of Madagascar are cleared for more farming, the animals and serpents needing these areas are quickly endangered.
The Blue Duck represents the Letter D. This duck has large webbed feet and lives in New Zealand. The Blue Duck dives in rapids and streams and holds onto rocks with its large feet. Unfortunately, the trout population in New Zealand uses the same feeding grounds and has pushed the Blue Duck onto the endangered list.
The Snow Leopard is used to denote the Letter L. This incredibly beautiful animal has been pushed to the endangered list because of habitat loss, poaching and hunting.
McLimans continues on throughout the alphabet with many more examples of animals in danger because of changes going on in the environment. Have you ever thought about this problem? Why is it so complicated?
Until recently, mountain lions were thought to not exist anymore in Nebraska. But after numerous sightings, one mountain lion was captured in Omaha at a busy intersection about 13 years ago. The mountain lion was tranquilized and taken to the Omaha Zoo where it lived until its death last month. But who wants to see a mountain lion at a busy street in Omaha? How do we strike a balance? To find out the answers to some of these questions, go to the library and check out this award-winning book, “Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet” by David McLimans.
It is important to address this many-faceted question of endangered animals and harm to the environment. In 1969 there was so much pollution in the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio that the waterway actually caught on fire! We need to have an Environmental Protection Agency to address these problems unless we are willing to see the animals on McLimans’ list go from endangered to extinct.
I hope you get a chance to read this fine book. It will take courage and foresight to address the environmental issues raised by McLimans.
