Gone Is Gone, by Isabelle Groc. Orca Book Publishers. 2019. $24.95 ages 9 andup

"In Vancouver, British Columbia, Stanley Park has one of the largest urban colonies of Pacific great blue herons in North America. Pacific great blue herons are considered a species at risk in Canada, their populations declining because of habitat loss and human disturbance. Seeing these magnificent birds in and around the park is always a special experience."

Ms. Groc's credentials as a distinguished photographer and filmmaker are matched by her dedication to the environmental issues that face our world today. So, to have her name on this first book in a new 'Orca Wild' series is proof that it was well-researched and worthy of a close look. That look makes it easy for our committee members to see this as a very important and worthwhile addition to the list of books that caught our collective attention in a recent  look at nonfiction for Best Books for Kids and Teens, Spring 2020.  

The photographs she chose come from her personal collection, gathered over her long career. They provide context for this study of mostly endangered animal species, with additional focus placed on plants and ecosystems. Jane Goodall writes the telling foreword, and Isabelle Groc follows it with an introduction that chronicles how her interest as a child led to her life's work. Her words encourage readers to involve themselves in making a difference in the world by caring. She also relates a family story which began when her daughter was only eight months old, and the family visited the Adams River in British Columbia to watch the salmon run. They have returned many times.

"I feel so lucky that we get to experience
this natural miracle as a family. Every time
we go, I tell the children that Pacific salmon
feed the entire ecosystem: bears, wolves, bald
eagles, gulls, ravens, jays, insects - all come to
feast on the salmon."

There are four sections: wildlife under threat, understanding endangered species, saving endangered species, and endangered species in your background. I think most middle grade readers might start where I did: in the backyard. She offers advice that we need to open our eyes to what surrounds us, and then look for ways to help. Provide suitable habitat, help collect data as a citizen scientist, raise awareness where we live, reduce impact in as many ways as possible, are just a few of the ways all can help.

The Red List is a measure of risk for all species, published each year by the International Union for Conservation of Natures. It is called a 'barometer of life'. Wild Encounters describe personal stories from the author's travels. Act For the Wild describes ways in which people are helping to keep endangered species safe and surviving. She is clear in documenting what is causing the losses the earth is experiencing: pollution, micro-plastics, habitat loss, climate change, selling wildlife as exotic foods, sport, introducing new species into established habitats. The table of contents is very specific, allowing readers to find what most interests them right from the beginning. Unfamiliar words are shown in bold font, and then included in a glossary in back matter. A list of resources, both print and online, allow those who want to know more access to further information.

Personal, beautifully designed to provide as much interest as possible, and hopeful to those willing to take a stand and make a difference in their own communities.