Rescue at Lake Wild

March 15, 2021
When someone shoots beavers whose dam has caused a flood in the Canadian small town of Willow Grove, Madi, Jack, and Aaron rescue kits, find the culprit, and figure out how to keep the beavers from attracting further violence. This middle-grade wildlife mystery makes explicit homage to the work of Jane Goodall, whom Madi, who introduces herself as an "animal whisperer" like her late grandmother, is dying to meet. But after a gripping opening during which Madi swims underwater and up into a beaver lodge to rescue two orphaned kits, readers learn she has a choice: She can see Goodall in person at an upcoming gala or she can bring home the two kits, though her parents have forbidden her rescuing any more wildlife. She chooses to bring the kits home anyway. The rest of her first-person, present-tense narrative balances the difficulties of hiding and nurturing beaver kits with the work she and her friends--all 12 years old--do to solve the mystery and the town's beaver problem. Johnson sets this firmly in the present day; they use iPods, smartphones, and ATVs. There's helpful information about animal rescue, but she makes clear that the process isn't easy. A professional wildlife rehabilitator praises Madi's work but adds that ordinary people keeping wildlife "usually does more harm...than good." The cover illustration suggests that Madi and Aaron are White while Jack, who hopes to be a game warden, has brown skin and long, straight black hair. An appealing and informative wildlife adventure. (author's note, wildlife tips) (Fiction. 8-12)

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May 1, 2021

Gr 3-7-Twelve-year-old Madi Lewis has a big problem. If she brings home one more stray animal, she won't be allowed to see her idol Jane Goodall at an upcoming gala in her honor. But when Madi discovers two orphaned beaver kits, she can't help rescuing them. Madi stashes them in a shed that only she visits until she can find a way to get them to a rehabilitation center. Madi gets her animal-whispering ability from her Nana, who used to be the only animal rehabilitator in the area. Since her death, no one has replaced her. When adult beavers start turning up dead, Madi and her best friends have a mystery to solve. Just who is trying to reduce the beaver population, and why? Can Madi find out why beavers are suddenly being hunted down, and can she do it before her parents discover the hidden kits? Animal-loving and eco-friendly readers will appreciate this story that involves both informative discussions about ecosystems and a mystery involving beaver poaching. Adventurous boat excursions and perilous ATV rides keep the action going strong. An instructive piece after the novel offers advice on how to handle a real wildlife encounter. Madi is cued as white. VERDICT Madi is a free-spirited, admirable heroine, and readers will delight in her adventures and her quirky friendships. An enjoyable addition to animal and nature stories.-Carol Connor, Cincinnati P.S., OH

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