Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks
Jolene Gutiérrez, Author
Millbrook Press, Nonfiction, Oct. 6, 2020
Suitable for Ages: 9-14
Themes: Animals, Injuries, Rescue, Veterinary Surgery, Prosthetics, Bionics, Designs and Technology
Opening: “Not long ago, a bird without a beak might have starved to death. An elephant without a foot would have hobbled painfully, permanently damaging her spine and remaining legs. Now animals like these are becoming bionic beasts, animals who have artificial body parts that help them move or function.”
Publisher’s Synopsis:
What happens when a young elephant steps on a buried land mine? What happens when a sea turtle’s flipper is injured by a predator? Thanks to recent advances in technology, we have new ways to design and build prosthetic body parts that can help these animals thrive.
Meet an Asian elephant named Mosha, a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle named Lola, a German Shepherd named Cassidy, a greylag goose named Vitória, and Pirate, a Berkshire-Tamworth pig. Each of these animals was struggling, but through a variety of techniques and technologies, humans created devices that enabled the animals to live and move more comfortably. Discover the stories of how veterinarians, doctors, and even students from around the world used 3D printing and other techniques to build bionic body parts for these amazing animals.
Why I like this book:
Jolene Gutiérrez’s Bionic Beasts is both engaging and heartwarming. It will appeal to animals lovers, budding scientists, engineers and innovators. She introduces readers to five animals from the United States, Canada, Brazil and India, who have been helped to lead more normal lives by veterinarians, scientists, prosthetists, orthotists, engineers and college students working with 3D printing. So much thoughtful research went into the writing of this extraordinary book. And I feel lucky to share it with you!
The book is beautifully designed and easy to read. Each chapter features a different animal. The flowing narrative draws readers into the center of the action by sharing information on each animal injury, the healing process, the impact on the animal’s body and the teams that work together to find solutions to make devices that will help, and the progress each animal makes. There are sidebars about the animal species, special surgeries. 3-D printing, and animal sanctuaries. Gorgeous color photographs adorn every page chronicling the design stages from beginning to end, when the animal is swimming with its new fin, walking with a prosthetic leg, or feeding and preening its babies with a new beak.
Readers are also challenged with STEM activities for each animal. For example, there are directions for students to experiment with different gelatins to design a flexible fin for the turtle or build a robotic hand to mimic how the elephant will bend its leg in a prosthetic leg. Jolene always asks the question, “can you improve upon the design?” After all, students from 8th grade to college, helped in developing the original designs.
Bionic Beasts is a wonderful resource for middle grade school libraries or for parents who homeschool. It’s also a perfect Christmas gift. The material is age appropriate and can be read aloud to younger elementary students. There’s a teacher’s guide on Jolene’s website.
Jolene Gutiérrez has always loved animals. She grew up on a farm where she rode horses, bottle-fed calves, chased kittens, and raised tadpoles that grew into toads. She’s been a school librarian for 25 years and lives in Colorado with her husband, two teenage kids, three preteen dogs, and one prickly hedgehog. Learn more at Jolene’s website.
Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the MMGM link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.
*Review copy won in a book giveaway by the author on Beth Anderson, Children’s Writer blog, in exchange for a review.
This sounds like a really cool book for kids who are animal lovers. It could even give them ideas about a future career. Thanks for sharing it this week.
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Thanks so much, Natalie! That’s my hope!! Often when I autograph the books to kids, I write them a note about how I’m excited to see how they’ll help animals in the future. I appreciate you reading!
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I think the book targets the perfect age group, because teens are beginning to realize what they’re passionate about. It could have an influence on future careers. My grandson in college is majoring in engineering, but he’s also loves to event things that help people. I think he’d enjoy this book too — my husband did!
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That makes me so happy, Patricia! And yes, even though this book is marketed at middle grade, it’s a high level MG. I work at a school for diverse learners and I would pair this book with my high school students as well. It’s great to hear that your husband enjoyed it, too!
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It is amazing what they can do for animals now. What a wonderful book.
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I was thrilled to read this book and share it today. Adults will enjoy this book too! My husband did!
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Darlene, and for reading the post!
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These are uplifting stories for all beastie lovers. Thanks for the post.
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You are welcome! It is an inspiring book.
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Thanks so much for reading! I’ve been an animal lover since I was a child, and I struggled with growing up on a farm where animals were put down if they were injured or struggling. I LOVED finding these stories of hope and help. ❤
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Patricia, thank you so much for the gorgeous review and for your support around BIONIC BEASTS! I’m so grateful!
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You are welcome! It’s an exciting book to share with youth today, because they love animals and are compassionate about helping them. And I kids will love the STEM experiments you included for each animal.
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Thank you so much, Patricia! I hope the experiments help them think more deeply about the topics and, like you mentioned, explore career possibilities!
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I love that you included the wonderful experiments in the book! They are a bonus for students and teachers. Inspiring!
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This sounds like such a cool book! It is going on my TBR list now. Thanks for much for telling me about it. I had no idea there were enough instances like this to fill a book.
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You are right — it’s a cool book! I thought about you and another Kidlit blogger when I was reading this book! It is so well done. Perfect gift. My husband read it and loved it!
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Thank you so much!! Yes, there are quite a few instances of helping animals with prosthetic limbs–lots of dogs and cats, but enough that I was able to try to choose diverse animals from around the world and with a variety of types of surgeries and circumstances. I hope you enjoy the book!!
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I’m an animal lover and must have this book. What a triumph to give these animals the chance to live a normal life. Sounds like read aloud potential too. Thanks for featuring on my anniversary edition of MMGM.
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Told you in my note last night that you’ll love this book! Just wait until you get your hands on a copy. The teacher in you will love the excellent experiments.
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I hope you enjoy it, Greg! These stories bring me so much joy and are wonderful to share with kids to show them various ways they can help animals! Each chapter is ~1,000 words, so the length of a longish picturebook, meaning each chapter could be one read-aloud session and then kids could “unpack” what they’ve learned through the experiment, further research on the animals, etc. Thank you so much for your support!
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What a cool story! Imagine human beings actually doing something to help animals, not harm them. Thanks for sharing this neat book!
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Yes, imagine that! It is a story about compassionate people coming together to help injured animals! And some of the kids doing the 3D designing are 8th graders.
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Yes! I grew up on a farm and SO wanted to help the animals who needed help. I’m hoping these stories will inspire and empower kids. Thanks so much for reading!
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This sounds amazing! It reminded me of Dolphin Tale and Winter the dolphin, who is such a hit with kids. I can see this appealing to kids, and I think my younger son would love it. Thanks for featuring it!
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It is a really amazing book that kids will be interested in! Hadn’t thought about the Dolphin Tale.
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Yes! I love that you mentioned Winter, Jenni! Kevin Carroll from the Hanger Clinic is the prosthetist who designed Winter’s tail. Kevin Carroll also consulted on Lola the sea turtle’s flipper and helped design an updated flipper for her! What a cool connection. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading!
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This book looks amazing. I must remember to order it next year. My daughter has a three-legged dog who also needed surgery and bone work using a 3D printer. He gets around with a set of wheels. It think it would be amazing to read about all these other animals and their bionic additions.
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Wonderful, Norah, and if it’s not in your budget to purchase it, you can ask your public library if they’ll consider buying it. As a librarian myself, I think that’s one of the best-case scenarios because other readers will hopefully discover the book as well. 😀
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That’s a great idea, Jolene.
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It is amazing. Since you already know a three-legged dog, you would definitely find this book of interest.
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I know I would. 🙂
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This book looks good. Definitely a sure winner for animal lovers! I will have to check it out. I’m always interested in learning something new and animals with bionic parts seem fascinating!
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I am excited that they are using the bionic technology to help animals. This book will really interest young people who want to help the animal world.
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Thank you for your support and interest in BIONIC BEASTS!
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I’ve had a chance to read this book, too, and just love it. People can do good things, and animals can be strong. i hope lots of kids get to see this.
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Davis, I’m so grateful for your support and kind words! Yes, this is definitely a book that I needed and wanted as a child, and I hope it’s inspirational for other kid readers. 🙂
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*David–sorry for misspelling your name!
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I love feedback from someone who has already read a book I’ve shared. Glad you love it. I hope a lot of kids to read this book!
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