Rescued

Starred review from January 25, 2016
In the third installment of the Ape Quartet (following 2014’s Endangered), two-time National Book Award finalist Schrefer tackles the plight of orangutans and how their vulnerability in the wild leads to unexpected consequences. In this case, it brings the issue to America, in the form of Raja, an orangutan stolen from Indonesia as a baby and adopted as a pet by a well-meaning, if ignorant, family. Sixteen-year-old John has grown up with Raja; the two are practically brothers, despite a childhood incident that cost John a finger. When John’s parents separate, so do boy and ape, but after John’s father sells Raja to a sketchy roadside zoo, John risks everything to rescue his one-time companion. Their journey brings them to Sumatra, where John understands the true scope of the problem facing Raja’s species. Schrefer paints a powerful picture of the cost of exploiting nature, the demands of agriculture, and the complexities of globalization, and the portrayal of Raja as an intelligent, complex individual is gripping and heartbreaking. Schrefer continues to be a vital voice for wildlife conservation and ape empathy. Ages 12–up. Agent: Richard Pine, Inkwell Management.

February 15, 2016
When your brother is an orangutan, you have a serious responsibility. John Solomon's father brought Raja home from a business trip to Indonesia when the boy was 10. Now John's 16, and the orangutan is fully grown, potentially dangerous. Still, he deserves something better than his current life in a tiny cage. For his third book about great apes, Schrefer tackles the issue of animals in captivity, setting much of his story in the United States. The first-person narrative opens violently, when, after two years as the boy's brother and near-constant companion, the orang accidentally bites off John's finger. John understands; Raja was frightened. There's a flashback to the ape's arrival, but most of the action happens six years later, after John's parents' divorce. His father tries to place Raja in a sketchy "petting zoo" in West Virginia. Raja escapes, John rescues him, and the two begin an aimless journey. No one in this country wants a full-grown male orangutan. Happily, they encounter a veterinarian who, through a series of coincidences, helps John take Raja back to a protected area in Sumatra. Much of the adventure requires strenuous suspension of disbelief for an adult reader, but young teens will enjoy John's success. Any other solution would be heartbreaking for readers as well as the boy and his beloved brother. Strong stuff but an important story. (Fiction. 12-16)

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April 1, 2016

Gr 6 Up-The third entry in the author's well-received quartet, this work introduces us to Raja, a pet orangutan living in suburbia with John and his parents. John grows up with Raja, and their bond is deep. But as the animal grows older and less cute, the family is forced to stop treating him like a teddy bear come to life. Raja is separated from John, banished to a trailer in the backyard. Eventually, the friends have to live further apart when John's parents separate. When the boy's father decides to send Raja to live at a zoo, John knows he has to say goodbye to Raja. He realizes he can't let Raja be mistreated and abused any longer and decides to smuggle the orangutan back to where he came from-Indonesia-no matter what it takes. It's John's responsibility to do what's best for Raja, whatever that may be. Schrefer beautifully shows the humanity we share with all living things and pulls some heartstrings in this tale. Readers will be affected by the narrative and realize that while this work is fiction, stories of mistreated animals in our societies are unfortunately quite real and common. VERDICT This is another well-written and fast-paced story that Endangered and Threatened fans will enjoy.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

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