Good Morning, Gorillas (6 page)
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Jack opened his eyes.
The Frog Creek woods were still dark and rainy.
“We’re home,” Annie said.
Jack sighed.
“I miss them already,” he said.
“Me too,” said Annie. “Did you take a lot of notes on their habits and behavior?”
Jack shrugged.
“I listed a few things about them,” he said. “But sometimes lists don’t tell you much. You have to love gorillas to
really
know them.”
“Yeah. That’s right,” said Annie.
Jack opened his backpack. He pulled out their research book and put it in the corner.
Then he pulled out the twig that Ho-ho had given him. He smiled as he showed it to Annie.
“I promised Ho-ho I’d eat this later,” he said. “But I think we should save it for Morgan instead.”
“Good idea,” said Annie. “It’ll prove to her that we found a special magic.”
“Yeah,
gorilla
magic,” said Jack.
“The magic of
all
animals,” said Annie.
“Yeah,” said Jack.
He placed the twig next to the scrolls they’d brought back from old England.
“Let’s go,” said Annie. She started down.
Jack pulled on his backpack. He put the flashlight in his pack. Then he grabbed the umbrella and followed Annie.
They started through the Frog Creek woods. It was still cool and dark and rainy.
Jack didn’t mind, though. He didn’t put on his jacket. He didn’t take out the flashlight. He didn’t put up the umbrella.
Jack felt as if he weren’t completely human yet. There was still a bit of gorilla left in him.
“Ho, ho, ho,”
he said in a low voice.
“Bu, bu,”
Annie said back.
“Huh, huh, huh,”
they said together.
MORE FACTS FOR
JACK AND ANNIE AND
YOU
!
Gorillas are the biggest members of the group of animals we call
primates
. Other primates include chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons, baboons, monkeys, and humans.
All gorillas live in Africa. There are three groups of gorillas—western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas are the largest gorillas. They have longer hair and longer jaws and teeth than lowland gorillas.
Mountain gorillas live in the volcanic mountains of Virunga in east-central Africa. The word
virunga
means “a lonely mountain that reaches to the clouds.”
Gorillas are mainly
herbivores,
or plant-eaters. They keep on the move, so they will not deplete a feeding area. A silverback gorilla can eat up to 50 pounds of forest vegetation in only one day.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
All gorillas are on the endangered species list. But the ones most threatened are the mountain gorillas. Fewer than 650 still live in the wild. None live in captivity. A woman named Dian Fossey lived for almost 20 years with the mountain gorillas. During her life, she fought very hard for their protection.
GORILLAS AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
Since 1971, a lowland gorilla named Koko has been part of a gorilla language project in California. Gorillas will never be able to talk like people because their vocal cords cannot make the necessary range of sounds. But a woman named Penny Patterson taught Koko the gorilla how to use
American Sign Language.
American Sign Language is a special language using hand gestures. It is primarily used by people who are unable to hear. Koko has learned to make more than 1,000 signs. And she understands about 2,000 English words. She proves that gorillas have extraordinary intelligence, as well as many thoughts and feelings similar to those of humans.
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Magic Tree House #27
Thanksgiving on Thursday
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Excerpt copyright ©
2002
by
Published by Random House Children’s Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
“Come on,” said Annie. She stood in the doorway to Jack’s bedroom. “Let’s check the woods.”
“But it’s Thursday,” said Jack. “We’re going to Grandmother’s soon.”
“I know,” said Annie. “But I have a feeling the tree house might be back. I think Morgan might have sent us a new rhyme.”
Jack trusted Annie’s feelings.
“Okay, but we’ll have to be quick,” he said.
He threw his notebook and pencil into his backpack. He followed her downstairs.
“Be back soon!” Jack called to their parents.
“
Very
soon!” their dad said.
“Don’t forget—it’s Thursday,” said their mom. “We’re leaving for Grandmother’s at nine!”
“I know!” said Jack.
“We’ll be back in ten minutes!” said Annie.
They hurried out of their house. They ran across their yard and up their street and into the Frog Creek woods.
Jack and Annie ran through light and shadow, until they stopped under the tallest oak.
“Yay!” said Annie.
“You were right!” said Jack.
High in the tree was the magic tree house.
Jack grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Annie was right behind him.
They climbed into the tree house. Sunlight slanted in through the window.
“Good, our gifts from our last trips are still here,” said Annie.
She pointed to the scrolls from Shakespeare’s theater and the twig from the gorillas.
“Proof we found the magic of the theater and the magic of animals,” said Jack.
“Look,” said Annie. She pointed to a book lying in a dark corner. A piece of paper was sticking out of it.
Jack pulled out the paper.
“It’s from Morgan,” he said.
He read:
Dear Jack and Annie,
Good luck on your third journey to find a special magic. This rhyme will guide you:
To find a special magic,
When work and toil are done,
Gather all together,
Turn three worlds into one.
Thank you,
Morgan
“So who do we gather with?” wondered Jack.
Annie held up the book. The painting on the cover showed a basket of corn on a wooden table. The title said
A Feast to Remember.
“We gather at a feast,” she said. She pointed to the cover. “I wish we could go there.”
“Hold on,” said Jack. “What kind of feast? Where and
when
?”
But the wind had started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
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Guess what?
Jack and Annie have a musical CD!
For more information about
MAGIC TREE HOUSE: THE MUSICAL
(including how to order the CD!),
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