Learn about man's closest genetic relatives! Did you know that...

.Just like humans, gorillas can shriek, chuckle, hiccup, and even belch?

.Families of gorillas can have as few as two members or as many as 35?

.Unlike in the movies, gorillas aren't mean or dangerous –they're actually quite shy?

.Gorillas weigh four to five pounds (about 2 kg) when they're born, and, fully grown, can weigh more than 400 pounds (about 200 kg)?

Ages 5+

The content of the book is written in a simplistic manner, but is loaded with facts and statistics about gorillas.

Children who would like learn more about gorillas will enjoy this book. We recommed it to animal loves ages 4-9.


The majesty of the gorilla   January 18, 2001
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

In "Gorillas," a rich assortment of full-color photographs is complemented by the interesting, straightforward text of Seymour Simon. The result is fine book for young readers who are interested in gorillas.

Simon describes the different subspecies of gorilla: the western lowland, eastern lowland, and mountain gorilla. He also discusses gorilla anatomy and social life. Particularly interesting is the material about gorilla babies and their development. Simon makes it clear that gorillas are, in general, peaceful beings who have sometimes been inaccurately portrayed by the entertainment industry. Towards the end of the book, Simon discusses some threats to wild gorillas and pays tribute to the work of pioneering gorilla researchers George Schaller and Dian Fossey.

Of course, very young readers will be happy to simply look at the stunning photographs in the book. The cameras capture the varied range of gorilla facial expression and body language. Especially moving are the pictures of young gorillas and gorilla family groups. Looking into the faces of these beings, you can really see the genetic kinship they share with humans (Simon notes that our two species share 98% of our DNA)."Gorillas" is another fine achievement for Seymour Simon.