Tuki and Moka: A Tale of Two Tamarins

K-Gr 4—Eduardo and his father are castañeros, traveling from their small town in Ecuador up the river to gather Brazil nuts in the Amazonian rain forest. The boy enjoys these trips despite the dangers and befriends some macaws and two playful tamarins, Tuki and Moka. One night, traffickers capture the colorful birds and furry mammals. Upon returning to their village, Eduardo sees the poachers ready to load the stolen animals onto a truck and manages to engineer an escape for them. This story would be best shared in a group setting where there is ample opportunity to discuss the ethics of animal poaching and when it is appropriate for kids to take matters into their own hands. Madsen's images capture the lush beauty of the South American locale, although the illustrations of the human characters have a CGI quality.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ