Termites on a Stick: A Chimp Learns to Use a Tool

PreS-Gr 2A young chimpanzee is rewarded with a tasty treat once he figures out how to fish termites out of their nest. Simple text and realistic paintings follow Little Chimp and his mother through a day in which the youngster emulates his mother's use of a handy tool. Coxton supplies moments of humor in Little Chimp's facial expressions as he goes through trial and error to find just the right stick for the job. His satisfying accomplishment is followed by bedtime in his mother's arms atop a tall tree. Carefully crafted, this picture-book introduction to tool-using chimps could work as a read-aloud story or as independent reading for young animal fans. A list of facts is followed by useful drawings of a chimp hand and foot with an explanation of how they compare to those of humans and a labeled cutaway of a termite nest. The one shortfall occurs in the final invitation to help save these animals that names two organizations but gives no contact information."Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston" Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.