Ortega

Ortega, a gorilla taken from his mother when he was quite young, has had operations so that he can speak. He has been trained by scientists to read, write, and speak. Other than his appearance, he acts quite human like. When the book begins, Ortega is about to enter school and join a class of 11 year olds. There are many people, children and adults who are less than thrilled with the idea of a gorilla in the classroom, but the scientists have paid the school to agree to this experiment. What follows is an interesting and heart warming story of Ortega's experience, and how the friends he makes eventually help to save his life.