ResQ and the Baby Orangutan

Overview

A tale of travel and adventure combining endangered animals, exotic locations, cool facts, and an element of techie science fiction

Engineering boy genius Wheaton and his nature-loving cousin Stowe set out on their first mission for ResQ, their organization to save endangered animals. Accompanied by their wildlife photographer grandmother, the two kids set off for Borneo in a private space shuttle to find a lost orangutan baby. By boat and helicopter, with the help of their new friend Rafi, they venture into the rainforest—but peat bogs and poachers are not so easy to overcome.

Reviews

"The first exciting adventure in a series brimming with fun science, astounding inventions, and a great character-driven story. Plus, there are orangutans!" — Steven Herb, Emeritus Director, Pennsylvania Center for the Book

"Get ready for an Indonesian adventure with the ResQ team! Join the precocious and brilliant Wheaton (11 yrs old) and his cousin Stowe (12 yrs old), accompanied by their incredibly patient and extremely 'cool' grandmother, Ariella, for a trip to the wilds of Borneo. From a hydrogen-powered space ship (ECAPS) to a futuristic HeliBoaJee (helicopter/boat/jeep), Eva Pell has created a fun-filled conservation adventure grounded in the reality of species in peril, and infused with a sense of urgency and action aimed at saving them. And along the way the reader will learn about the life history of orangutans, the threats to their survival, and about the people working hard to stem the tide of their extinction. I'm looking forward to following the future far-flung adventures of this dynamic team as they travel the world seeking to apply the best science to save some of the rarest species on planet earth!" — Steve Monfort, John and Adrienne Mars Director, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

"ResQ and the Baby Orangutan reaches ages 9-12 with a vivid story set in Indonesia and centered around animal rescue efforts, adding a dash of added sci-fi to keep the tale especially engrossing. Mattias Lanas adds black and white drawings to enhance the story of boy genius Wheaton and his nature-loving cousin Stowe, who embark on their first adventure in their animal rescue organization when they fly their modified space shuttle to Borneo to find a missing baby orangutan, helped by a grandmother equally determined to influence a successful rescue mission. Eva J. Pell incorporates the atmosphere of Indonesia's jungles and peoples as she presents this vivid story, adding a realistic feel to events that swirl around people and animals. These elements help ground a story that also changes its perspectives to add additional insights from the characters, including notes from Stowe's journal of observations, which are a fine contrast to Wheaton's reasoned first-person narration of events in Borneo and journeys through Indonesia. The result is a powerful story that invites preteens to learn more about Indonesia and illegal animal trafficking. Its facts are based on firsthand accounts of those familiar with both orangutans and Borneo, and this reality enhances an adventure that will not only entertain, but educates." — Midwest Book Review

Author Biography

Eva Pell has served as the Senior Vice President for Research at Penn State University and Under Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian. ResQ and the Baby Orangutan is the first in a projected series of techie animal rescue adventures. Mattias Lanas is a freelance science illustrator and artist who graduated from Stanford with a degree in Earth Systems.