[ Emi and the Rhino Scientist (Scientists in the Field (Paperback)) By Carson, Mary Kay ( Author ) Paperback 2010 ]

Scientists in the Field

by Mary Kay Carson

Terri Roth trudges through the thick, dark Sumatran jungle. She’s looking for a rhinoceros that’s been seen in the area. It’s a rare Sumatran rhino, the world’s smallest rhino and one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. Suddenly she spots a young female rhino through the tangle of ferns and trees. The stocky animal is covered in reddish hair, and her snout sports two stubby horns. The rhino walks right up to Terri. The scientist slowly reaches out her hand and touches the rhino’s big nose. The wild rhino’s curiosity and friendliness remind Terri of Emi, the female Sumatran rhino that lives at the Cincinnati Zoo where Terri works. Terri is working with Emi to help save Sumatran rhinos from extinction—one calf at a time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Picture Books, Childrens

Paperback

First published October 22, 2007

About the author

Mary Kay Carson is an award-winning children’s nonfiction author. She has written more than thirty books for young people about wildlife, space, weather, nature, and history. Her recent non-fiction titles include Emi and the Rhino Scientist, about the Cincinnati Zoo's famous rhino mom; Exploring the Solar System, recipient of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children’s Literature Award; The Wright Brothers for Kids; Inside Tornadoes; and the Far-Out Guide to the Solar System series. The author also gives presentations at schools and libraries about space, animals, history, and writing.

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought rhinos could be so interesting, even a bit cute! This entry in the superb Scientists in the Field series follows the work of scientists at the Cinncinnati Zoo in trying to breed two Sumatran rhinos. All five species of rhino in the world today are endangered. The maps at the back of the book comparing their former habitats with those of today are shocking. Most of this sharp decline in numbers is due to poaching and habitat loss, but I think that their dangerous behavior (I've read that rhinos kill more people in Africa than any other animal) may also be a part of it, a fact not mentioned at all in the book. One chapter mentioned that rhinos have been around for 50 million years, in various forms, including long-legged, bigger than elephants, and woolly. I wish the author had included a whole chapter on these prehistoric ancesters. This book was full of surprises-- I even learned something about cats here: that they ovulate only when they mate (called induced ovulation), rather than during a preset cycle. Rhinos do the same thing. I highly recommend this book for young and old readers alike. Rhinos are a lot more interesting than you think!

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Emi the Sumatran rhino and one zoologist's mission to breed her. Sumatran rhinos are very endangered and a baby hadn't been born in captivity for over 100 years. When Emi finally mated with a male Sumatran rhino, her first several pregnancies ended in miscarriage, but rhino scientist Terri Roth was determined to succeed at helping Emi carry a baby to full term.

The book includes lots of information about the different species of rhinos and their status as endangered species. Color photos are present on every page. Profiles of each of the five species of rhino can be found at the end of the book as well as resources for more information and how to help rhinos. I've enjoyed one other book in the Scientists in the Field series and look forward to reading more!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, the Scientists in the Field series provides a fascinating look into the work of scientists - this time, people working with captive Sumatran rhinos. Real-world applications of scientific principles (much more exciting than dry science textbooks) and great photos make the book compelling. Like the others, this book is wordier than many animal books, but the information is mixed in with a narrative that makes the book engaging, and I'd recommend it for fourth grade and up.

[Diana Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This clear, well-written book is full of fascinating information about rhinos and scientists. It's not only educational but fun, too, and the photos are great! This is a great book for parents and children to share at home and for teachers to use in school.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and well written. The pictures of the baby rhinos were cute!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I looked up Emi on the internet and was sad to see she had died in 2009. This book was an amazing story of her life and full of information about rhinos.

[Elyshia Schafer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. Lots of info about Sumatran Rhinos and helping endangered species.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was good and one of the really cool facts is that a good rhino horn can be worth 50K!

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, love this series. This is about rhinos, conservation efforts, and captive breeding programs.

This is an older book now, but it was interesting to look up what has happened with Sumatran rhinos in the meantime. (Emi had another calf, and three more calves have been born in the sanctuary in Indonesia, at least two sired by Andalas. Emi and Suci and presumably Ipuh died in Cincinnati, and there are no Sumatran rhinos in the Western Hemisphere now. The population in the wild has continued to decline precipitously.)

[Mary Kay Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

• target audience: Ms Science 10-14yrs

• summary –Terri Roth is an Animal Scientist working at the Cincinnati Zoo. She is an expert at breeding endangered species. She works with Emi a sumatran Rhino. She discovers how to breed and produce baby rhino's, an impressive project, since Sumatran rhinos have not been successfully bred in captivity in more than 100 years.

• strengths/weaknesses- Well I have a minor in Animal Science so I am biased about this book. I think I would be in good company in Middle school. Books about animals are very popular in this target audience. I was enthralled with the story. Compelling, the story is told like an interview with the scientist, there are lots of quotes, and interesting details from the project. Also, plenty of information about rhinos and the cultural practices known about keeping them in captivity including the nature of their endangerment. I learned a lot, there are excellent photos of rhinos, and some very cute pictures of the first upclose documented experience with a baby rhino. Thump-thump goes my heart, the baby photos are super sweet.

• personal critique - Yes I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in animals. It is also valuable for students to use as a study in careers. There are many careers surrounding animals, and this book is a good introduction to animal science. There are some excellent facts and I learned about rhinos, and enjoyed the story. Many young students only think of being a veterinarian, but this books points out the general field of animal science and alternate pathways. Caretaking, research and data collection are all explored. There is even ongoing research referred to in the field guide at the back of the book, with vocabulary lists and an excellent index.

• illustrations - There are many photographs and a few maps and charts. The baby pictures are adorable. The maps and charts making learning the locations and varieties of rhinos easy for the target audience.

• whether a title could be used in a lesson plan? I would use this in a career exploration lesson.

[Steve Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our school welcomed Mary Kay Carson today. She shared with us many of her books, and how she went about researching her information to create her books. As a Cincinnatian, she spoke of her love of our zoo and how an early internship there shaped her love of science and animals. As an author, later in her life, it was interesting to hear how much she valued the experience of being able to revisit the zoo as a researcher and study the Sumatran Rhinos. This has a good story, and a positive lesson for young students on how to create a background for such a nonfiction book. This was explained to be her favorite book she has written due to the connection with Cincinnati, the material, and being at the zoo again. We enjoyed this story and the collection of photographs shared as the highlight of her presentation to us.

[Maggie]

Rhinos are becoming extinct animals. This book tells the story Emi's life that
is traced from being an orphaned rhino to a being mother while in captivity.

I believe that students should be exposed to this book. It is full of information about rhinos and a famous Rhino Emi and her life story. Students would really have to enjoy rhinos or being doing research about this animal in order to enjoy all that it has to offer. "Rhinos are quick and agile. Black rhinos like this one (picture above in book) can run as fast as thirty miles (forty-five kilometers) an hour." (pg 8)

I could use this book in my classroom to introduce nonfiction text features. I could also have this book available for students to do research with.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but it grosses me out so i wouldn't recommend it.

[WKWyverns]

4W heard this book talk first.