Saving Sorya

By Trang Nguyen, Jeet Zdung (Author/Illustrator)

A young conservationist must return her beloved sun bear to the wild, facing the ultimate test of friendship and courage.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 545 ratings

128 pages· 2,961 words· Est. 33 min read

$13.99Save 4%

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Bookroo's summary

In Vietnam, young Chang discovers a bear bile farm and vows to save the animals. Her journey leads her to become a conservationist, mastering survival skills and defying skeptics. Accepted as a rescue center volunteer, Chang faces her greatest challenge: releasing Sorya, the sun bear she raised, back into the wild. As she grapples with letting go of her best friend, Chang's story unfolds with breathtaking art and STEM insights, captivating animal lovers and adventurers alike. Will she find the strength to do what's right, even when it means saying goodbye?

From the publisher

“Perfect for animal-loving fans of Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan and Rosanne Parry’s A Wolf Called Wander.”–School Library Journal, starred review An ALA Top Ten and Eisner-nominated middle grade graphic novel adventure based on a true story, about a young conservationist who overcomes the odds to save and return a sun bear to its natural habitat. When endlessly curious and tenacious Chang discovers a bear bile farm near her home in Vietnam, she decides to do everything she can to save wild animals–by becoming a conservationist! After teaching herself survival skills, documenting each rainforest plant and animal she sees in her field notebook, and disproving the critics who think she isn’t old enough or strong enough, Chang is finally accepted as a rescue center volunteer. But her toughest challenge yet comes when she’s tasked with returning Sorya–the sun bear she raised from infancy–back into the wild. Because despite being a different species, Sorya is Chang’s best friend. And letting a friend go is never easy . . . even when it’s the right thing to do. With breathtaking art and STEM facts galore, Chang’s daring story is for any young reader, animal lover, and intrepid explorer!