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Wild Life: Dispatches from a Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs by Keena Roberts, Keena Roberts
rainbowbookworm's review
4.0
This book was described as Mean Girls come to life, but it is so much more than that. Cady Heron has nothing on Keena Roberts.
beastreader's review
5.0
I had such a wonderful time reading about Keena Robert's childhood. She has lived in Africa and Botswana. Yet, occasionally, she and her family would come back to the United States when her parents were done with their research in the "field" and needed to come back to compile their research and renew their passports.
The first time that Keena went back to public school in the US; I felt back for her. I could picture her dance with the gorilla and all of the other girls in their ballet outfits. Keena does move to the own beat of her drum. I am envious of her childhood. What an amazing experience.
This is one of the best memoir/coming of age books that I have read in a long time. I did not feel like there was any gaps missing and I got to know Keena. Wow, it is shocking that this is Keena's debut novel; readers better watch out for Keena's next book.
The first time that Keena went back to public school in the US; I felt back for her. I could picture her dance with the gorilla and all of the other girls in their ballet outfits. Keena does move to the own beat of her drum. I am envious of her childhood. What an amazing experience.
This is one of the best memoir/coming of age books that I have read in a long time. I did not feel like there was any gaps missing and I got to know Keena. Wow, it is shocking that this is Keena's debut novel; readers better watch out for Keena's next book.
katekate_reads_'s review
4.0
I love reading memoirs by people who have such a different life experience. Keena Roberts grew up spending half of each year in Botswana at Baboon Camp with her primatologist parents and the other half at school in the Philadelphia suburbs.
I also grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs - so I could relate to that part - but for Keena that was always where she felt less comfortable. Navigating the social structure of 8th grade girls could be more daunting than navigating a boat through a river with crocodiles and hippos.
Reading about 120 degree days that were so hot the shampoo bottles melted or the time a hyena came through camp and ate all the soap gave me some extra appreciation for my climate controlled home. I also loved getting to experience Keena’s adventures and the way she sees the world. While I am not particularly adventurous and wouldn’t be considered outdoorsy at all - I loved getting to experience a little of that world through the pages of this book.
Thank you so much to Grand Central and Netgalley for the free copy of this book to read and review.
I also grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs - so I could relate to that part - but for Keena that was always where she felt less comfortable. Navigating the social structure of 8th grade girls could be more daunting than navigating a boat through a river with crocodiles and hippos.
Reading about 120 degree days that were so hot the shampoo bottles melted or the time a hyena came through camp and ate all the soap gave me some extra appreciation for my climate controlled home. I also loved getting to experience Keena’s adventures and the way she sees the world. While I am not particularly adventurous and wouldn’t be considered outdoorsy at all - I loved getting to experience a little of that world through the pages of this book.
Thank you so much to Grand Central and Netgalley for the free copy of this book to read and review.
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