A beautiful book. A wonderfully moving story. The chimpanzee is based on the life of a real chimpanzee raised as a human child. I loved the voice of the deaf girl who narrates it. It is actually the most understandable depiction of how ASL works that I've ever read.

The book is well written and flows very well. The characterizations were wonderful. All of the important people seemed complex and real.

I am going to recommend that both of my boys, 10 and 12, read this book. It is very thought provoking and I think brings up issues that are important for children to think about. Highly recommended. ( )

"Sukari min vän är en stark och gripande bok om ett möte mellan en döv, 13-årig flicka och en schimpansunge, Sukari, som hon kommunicerar med via teckenspråk. Trots att Joey varit döv sedan 6 års ålder, har mamman inte tillåtit henne att lära sig teckenspråk. I sin ovilja att erkänna Joeys handikapp, isoleras Joey alltmer från gemenskapen, oförmögen som hon är, många gånger, att läsa på läppar. Vändningen för Joey kommer när hon träffar Charlie och schimpansungen Sukari. Charlie har tagit hand om Sukari sedan föräldrarna dödats av "bushmeat"-jägare och lärt henne teckenspråk. I hemlighet lär sig Joey att teckna och tiden hon tillbringar med Charlie och Sukari får henne att växa och blomstra som individ. Men i samma takt som Joeys möjligheter vidgas, smalnar Sukaris - snart står hela schimpansungens liv på spel och hennes öde kommer så småningom att helt vila på Joeys 13-åriga axlar.

Romanen baserar sig på en sann historia om schimpansen Lucy Termelin, som växte upp och uppfostrades som en människa. Sukari min vän är en fängslande och oförglömlig historia om en flickas unika vänskap med en nära släkting, som delar 98 procent av vår DNA och som har möjlighet att kommunicera med oss."

Joey is used to being left out of conversations. She's been deaf since she was 6 and only fitfully reads lips. Her life changes drastically when she meets Sukari, a baby chimpanzee who uses American Sign Language. Suddenly Joey has a new friend and, more importantly, a reason to learn to sign. This is a heart-warming, ultimately triumphant look at a girl and an ape who need each other. This is a terrific read for anyone who loves animals and/or is interested in the challenges of being deaf. ( )

This is a book inspired by the true story about a chimpanzee who learned sign language. Why you might ask? Because the person who adopted the chimpanzee, Dr. Mansell, Charles Mansell (Charlie) his mother was born deaf and his father lost his hearing when he was two. So he adopted Sukari, the chimpanzee, who he would later teach sign language. A poacher killed Sukari's mother when she was just three months old. Why? Because they ate her mother and brought Sukari back to sell. Chimpanzees are called buchmeat in Cameroon. ( )

I loved this book. I have a degree in Anthropology, and one of the most disturbing aspects of my coursework was experiencing directly how our close relatives are held in captivity so we can "observe" and often experiment on them. Ms. Rorby bases her story on the real abuses that have occurred when chimpanzees and other primates are sent off to what are basically prisons to live out the rest of their lives once their initial usefulness is over. Ms. Rorby let's us see the world through a deaf girl's eyes, and relates her own developing relationship to the world to that of Sukari, the chimpanzee who is also learning sign language. The developing bond between the two is presented with a deft touch. The book is realistic in showing that not all families are happy or "normal."
The moral dilemma Sukari's captivity presents is painful but is ultimately resolved in a way that is realistic yet satisfying. Young readers will appreciate the happy ending. ( )