Every so often, I locate a book that I read because I need something quick and something I do not want to put a lot of effort into it. However, this time, while the books were short and quick, I had to put my brain to work collection the facts and following the stories of two adorable creatures of the wild. There is a third title, Surviving the Wild: Sunny the Shark, but I have not had an opportunity finding for a readers copy, or having the final book, yet.
Surviving the Wild: Star the Elephant by Remy Lai is a delightful book about conservation and elephants. The story is sweet with an elephant named Star, his mother, and Auntie. When food becomes scarce, they must leave their area. This is due to the deforestation of the area. Traveling to find food, they keep running into humans, until the day they cannot run anymore, but maybe this time it is not a bad thing. Goofy, cartoon illustrations, but equally fun to the text, add to the adventures. Based on three bull elephant’s true story of 1990. The afterwards has more information and ways you can help animals like Star.
Surviving the Wild: Rainbow the Koala by Remy Lai is another delightful story about wildlife. This time we read and learn about a young koala called Rainbow, who is trying to survive during the time after leaving his mother. This story is based on the lives of koalas, but this specific story is loosely based on the facts surrounding the 2019-2020 wildfires. While the illustrations are cartoon and goofy, it is a story that is lovingly drawn. However, there are some intense moments due to the fire scenes as Rainbow, and the other animals are being “chased” by fire, Rainbow is injured several times, and the scenes of the fire itself.
The age ranges on this series can be as young as six or seven for starting to read solo, or with help, but due to the action (the elephants are captured and/or hunted in images; and as said the fire images) it might not be for the younger, more sensitive reader. I also could go as old as a younger aged 10.
This author is also the creator of Pawcasso and Pie in the Sky, but I believe that these two titles are older than the Surviving the Wild series.