No Age Limit on Heroism: DOYLI TO THE RESCUE

I feel so blessed and secure in my life that I rarely find myself longing for additional funds. I do, though, wish I had the means to contribute more to the many worthy causes that my modest means allow me to support. As it is, I do my due-diligence and reassure myself that each and every dollar pledged will be put to maximum benefit for the intended recipients.

Crowd-funding of various projects and people has become commonplace. The result, in my opinion, is that appeals need to be scrutinized thoroughly before any of MY funds make their way into the hands of others. Vetting those appeals, even the most heart-tugging, can present serious challenges.

Crickhollow Books, April 22, 2015

I was both confident and excited to offer my small support to the recently successful Kickstarter publishing project,  DOYLI TO THE RESCUE: Saving Baby Monkeys in the Amazon, photos and text by Cathleen Burnham. 
The result...TA-DA!  
The book will release on EARTH DAY, APRIL 22, 2015. I received my own copy in advance to review.
Some background first. Cathleen Burnham is an experienced travel and wildlife photojournalist.This title is one of a six-book-series she's creating for the WORLD ASSOCIATION OF KIDS AND ANIMALS. 

On a family vacation to the Amazon and subsequent travels she became aware of the fragile state of many animal species and their habitats, often in areas with limited financial resources.  She encountered individual young people who are making small-scale but powerful contributions to protect some of those threatened species. The WAKA Books program is Burnham's effort to share their stories and inspire other young people around the world to seek and pursue their own projects to save our planet.
This excerpt from the author note in the back of the book describes her mission:

"This story is a seed. Maybe you and your friends and family can come up with 

something YOU can do, in a small way, to help protect other creatures 

who might need a helping hand."

My thoughts, now that I've examined the book closely:

DOYLI TO THE RESCUE: SAVING BABY MONKEYS IN THE AMAZON is a winner by any measure. The target audience is aptly described as fourth- and fifth-graders, who will find that the photos and text are not only accessible but intriguing and appealing. 

Doyli's smiling face will make her feel like a friend from the start. Her life is one that could appear alien and distant, but instead reveals relationships, activities, and interests that are both familiar and exciting.

Burnham's photos are highly professional but also have a candid quality that suggest a family photo album. Doyli's engagement in a wider community, including school, the marketplace, and interactions with various friends and relatives encourage high level discussions with readers to compare and contrast Doyli's life to their own. 

The WAKA site indicates teaching guides and other resources are in the offing, as are subsequent titles in this series. Guides aren't necessary to begin using this immediately. The book design offers every aspect of nonfiction reading described in the Common Core State Standards,including picture captions, maps, clearly labeled species, specific vocabulary  and back matter. 

This book will definitely jumpstart further research into global locations, biomes, endangered species, interventions, and local issues.

In my opinion this book will intrigue and interest readers of any age. I look forward to meeting the young heroes in titles yet to come.

Please share the info with friends who like positive, uplighting books for kids: 

Publisher page: http://www.crickhollowbooks.com/doyli-to-the-rescue

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Doyli-Rescue-Saving-Monkeys-Amazon/dp/1933987227