Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea

I'm working my way through the Scientists in the Field series (does anybody know where I can find a complete list? It's aggravating that even the publisher doesn't have a complete series list). I just finished the award-winning Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery. Hopefully, most of you have read this amazing book already, but basically it tells the story of a scientific expedition to Papua New Guinea to track a rare species of tree kangaroo, found only in the just-as-rare cloud forests. The things which make this book amazing, fascinating, and award-worthy are:

Stunning photographs by Nic Bishop. He brings the cloud forest to life and makes me want a tree kangaroo to cuddle!

Brisk, expository text by Sy Montgomery. She includes show more facts, stories, descriptions, history, and science in a wonderful blend that holds the reader's attention throughout the story.

Personal stories of the people on the expedition. The leading scientist, Lisa Dabek, overcame asthma to study the animals she loved. Other personal stories of the various members are included, as well as those of their local guides and contacts which....

Makes this book truly amazing as it is one of the few science/travel type books which really shows the local population as friends, scientists, and assistants without patronizing them or denigrating their help. What makes this book even better, is that Sy Montgomery has managed to give equal importance to the local conservation efforts and the local culture as she gives to the Western scientists. It's a new model for scientific field expeditions and a large part of what makes this book stand out.

Excellent sources and other information, including pronunciation guides and sources for more information about the people, places, and animals in the book.

I plan to use this in the spring as part of my planned nonfiction book club and I think it will be a winner. Which is part of the reason why I want a complete list of the Scientists in the Field series, because I know kids will want to read more...

Verdict: This series is one that should be on the shelf of every library. It will take a little time to find them all, as there is no comprehensive list, but it's worth the time!

ISBN: 978-0618496419; Published October 2006 by Houghton Mifflin; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library show less

This is a fantastic nonfiction work about tree kangaroos with a whimsical writing style that adds an almost magical aspect to the narrative. The book also manages to be informative without sounding overtly technical or dry. The photos are brilliantly executed, portraying a beautiful, fanciful world, and adorable tree kangaroos in their natural habitat. I do not know if I would use this work in my class, but if there is ever a piece of literature that my class is evaluating that mentions tree kangaroos, then I would absolutely use this as a reference text in my lesson.

This book takes the reader on an expedition to the heart of the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea in the search of the elusive, very rare and terribly cute Matschie’s tree kangaroo. After being presented to the team (composed of Lisa Dabek, leading Matschie's tree kangaroo researcher, other scientists, a veterinarian, an artist, a zookeeper, the book photographer and its author and local trackers) as if the reader was also part of it, we are taken through all the steps of this scientific expedition from the preparations to the plane trip and then grueling hike to arrive to the research site. Vivid details about the difficulties of hiking at a high altitude with high humidity levels, treacherous roots, mud holes, pesky leeches and bugs show more plunge the reader in the heart of the adventure. We get excited with the team when they finally find one, then two, and then two more of these little-studied kangaroos. One wish more information would be given about these animals, but they are so hard to find, and have only been recently studied by Lisa and her teams that very little is known about them so far.

This book reads like a story, not like a nonfiction informational book, but the writing is quite dense, so it would not be appropriate for early elementary grades. The beautiful photographs on each page feature people who participated in the expedition, native animals (all the more stunning one from the other) and people, the fascinating primitive cloud forest and of course, the tree kangaroos themselves. Information is given about the culture of the local people, the place, and local animals, so one learns about much more than the tree kangaroo. This is an inspirational book destined to entice youngsters who love animals to pursue their passion, but it is also a good book for anyone, young and old, who loves wild animals and might want to help in their conservation. Resources to learn more about tree kangaroos are given at the end, and there is a page with words and expressions in Tok Pisin, one of the languages of Papua New Guinea. Grades 5 and up. show less

This book had some great information and detail about the people, the climate, and the environment in general of Papa New Guinea. I liked the suggestions at the end and the bits of language scattered through the book and with a glossary at the end. The pictures were taken very well.
However, the writing was stilted and did not flow as much as I would have liked. Also more pictures of what the author was describing would have been good. No pictures of the wounded tree kangaroo (besides, maybe his paw), the raspberries they described and ate, and a picture of their campsite would have been nice.
Not a bad book, but it wasn't stellar.

This is a wonderful informative book about the Tree Kangaroo. It begins with a group of researcher going to the Cloud forest of New Guinea in search of locating the animal. It details the journey like a journal and also includes great photographs of the forest and its inhabitants. I was really impressed with the format as it was very descriptive and had beautiful images.

Wow.Beautiful photographs document and bring to life the expedition of a team of scientists into Papua, New Guinea as they search for the elusive tree kangaroo. Maps are kid friendly and colorful, the text reads as an accessible story and the photos are absolutely amazing. It is written in a style that will engage both children and adults. Highlights the efforts of the conservation advocates and encourages youth to become active in their communities and be open to a career in this area. Lisa Dabek, the lead researcher and scientist has done great work.

The author and photographer join Lisa Dabek, a scientist studying tree kangaroos, and a crew of veterinarians, trackers, and other researchers on an arduous expedition up to Papua New Guinea's cloud forest. There they track and tag several of the elusive tree kangaroos for further study. The discomforts of wet clothes, muddy ground and generally less-than-four-star accommodations are worth it for the group to be in a forest teeming with beauty and wildlife and to work towards the conservation of nature.