My Life with the Chimpanzees

My daughter loves apes, and we all love Jane Goodall. I bought this book for her as a birthday present. I would guess that it is written at at least a 3rd to 4th grade reading level. I read it aloud to my 8- and 6-year old girls. It is a short autobiography. We all liked the fact that it started with Jane's life as a young girl and then detailed how she ended up working with chimps. It also discussed her life with the chimps in detail, how she set up camp (her mother stayed with her at first, which I think is a charming detail) and various adventures that she had. The only part of the book that I did not care for so much was the final chapter which gets a little preachy about taking care of animals and the world. But even that doesn't bother me so much because she's RIGHT -- and my girls did listen and take what Jane Goodall wrote to heart. This is a lovely book for anyone interested in Jane Goodall's work, anyone who needs a good autobiography project, who's interested in the life of a self-made woman, or who just loves nature. I felt that Jane Goodall had a good writing voice directed towards her intended audience -- children -- but that it was not childish. She treats the children reading the book as though they can make a difference and she does not dumb down or overly simplify her experience.

I just loved the stories about the chimpanzee families she talks about. The relationship she developed were as real as a friend or family member. Her connection to nature & struggles of raising her own family, setting personal goals & achieving them. She literally created a very simple lifestyle in the jungle, brought awareness to the rest of the world to poaching & the importance of conservation & yet remains humble & secure in the life she created. The richest woman on the planet in my opinion. Very inspiring!

My 8 year old was assigned to do her monthly book report on a biography. She wanted to read about Abraham Lincoln... until she found out she had to dress up as the book's subject! Regrouping with a week to go and a driving vacation looming, I rushed to find a children's biography available in audio download... and stumbled upon this gem. We all listened to the (abridged) audio version on the trip, and I do think that hearing it read by the author added a great deal. My daughter read the unabridged book with fascination when we got home, though I suspect she might have had more difficulty relating to the book had she not heard Jane Goodall speak her own words first. At any rate, the report (outfitted with khakis, a notebook, and a velcro-handed stuffed chimp) was a great success, and my daughter has met a role model of determination, compassion, and wisdom.

Jane Goodall's story is extremely impressive and inspiring -- how she came to work with animals, as she'd wished from a very young age, and in time became a scientist who directed research of her beloved chimpanzeez - making astonishing discoveries -- and now is devoted to doing all she can in conservation efforts to save the planet and all of its inhabitants. This is a book written for ages 8-12. I've just read it in preparation for sending it to my neice, age 10, and now I feel ambivalent about sending it. Interwoven into the last approximately four chapters, Jane goes very heavily into conservation issues and the need for this age group to make a difference to save animals and to save the planet, so heavy, I fear an 8-12 YO could feel primarily depressed from reading this book, and, further, that this book could contribute to the prevalent depression and suicides of this age group, so worried about the world they are inheriting, and if not that, simply shocked by the notable descriptions of our industrial abuse of animals in too vivid detail for what I thought was an autobiography.

I started to read this book with my son when he was younger. I did not finish it at the time, but finally came back to it. I love it, it is good for young and old alike. I cried during parts of the book, felt encouraged and hope as well. I recommend this book.

I found Jane Goodall to be an inspiring woman. How one person could accomplish all that she did is amazing. She really brings the individual chimps to life for us.

The book had a good story and information, however, multiple issues were present. First off, almost every page had a grammatical or sometimes spelling error and an extreme lack of commas. Also, I am not saying I disagree with Jane's thoughts, but by the end of the book, the book was just preaching at you. It told you exactly what you should think and gave issues and evidence on why it mattered. I think some of here points were valid, but by the end of the book I had more knowledge on why chimpanzees were important and why we should care (about animals in general), than information about Jane Goodall and her life. Not a bad thing, but the book just needed more actual facts, rather than Goodall's opinions.

Is an incredible beautiful book. Parents should read and/ or share with their children.it weak up the sensitivity and love for these incredible species. The distinguished job that Jane Goodall is memorable not only from the scientific point of view,but because the love and caring she shows to chimpanzees. On times when we see so much wild animals abuse, this is perfect to help reverse the approach to these creatures.

Oltre ad essere la biografia della parte iniziale della vita professionale della più conosciuta primatologa del mondo nonché di una persona fantastica, meravigliosa, piena di vita, che con intelligenza ha saputo come studiare gli scimpanzé ma anche farli conoscere al mondo intero, questo libro è anche bellissimo da leggere per chi come me è appassionata dai primati. Per chi ama la primatologia bisogna comunque leggere anche quelli più recenti sempre scritti da Jane Goodall o dal suo collega Franz De Wall da altri loro colleghi ("Gorilla nella nebbia" della defunta Dian Fossey ad esempio).

Pratico inglês e conheço a história dessa mulher incrível

Lovely book that talks about individual chimps. Enjoy

Muy bueno

I loved the book. I had heared about Jane Goodall and her work at Uni and had been curious to learn more. This book is not a “Uni-book“, but a marvellous story about the author's life. Goodall's descriptions of animals, practices and situations touched me. Her style is neither sensational, nor particularly scientific - but capturing. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in either: animals, Jane Goodall, her work, how it all began, Africa... Having finished this book, I now want to read more from/about Goodall.