Jane Goodall has been the subject of many books for young people, but here she tells her own story specifically for children. Generously illustrated throughout with engaging color photographs, Goodall’s book recounts how she came to be a scientist without a college degree at a time when women were not allowed to travel alone into the bush. (Goodall’s mother accompanied her for the first few months.) Most of this autobiography, however, focuses on the things Goodall has learned about chimpanzee behavior by observing them in the wild over a period of nearly 40 years. Chimps she first observed as infants are now the elders in their tightly knit groups, giving Goodall an extraordinary vantage point for her study of family bonds among the species most closely related to humans. (Ages 8–14)

As a child, Jane Goodall dreamed of living with the wild animals of Africa. As a young woman, she amazed the world with her groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees, which she documented in her acclaimed National Geographic television specials. Ever since, Dr. Goodall has campaigned unceasingly for the protection of the chimpanzee ­ now an endangered species. This moving, personal account will inspire readers of all ages to join in her vital work.