Upon returning from his whirlwind tour of the bonobo hotspots around the States, James Brooks, the #1 Bonobo Fan, took time out from his incredible fundraising activities to talk to Bonobo Kids.

Bonobo Kids: Hi James! First things first, rumor has it that you raised $4,300 for the Great Ape Trust of Iowa’s Bowling for Apes fundraiser! Congratulations!!!
James: Thank you!

BK: You had over 280 sponsors for the event, who did you ask?
James: Well, lots of friends and family! Also my dad is a professor at a University and I went to work with him one day, talked to a lot of people and asked them to sponsor me. Then my mom took me to the hospital where she works and I gained some more sponsors. Also, my website got a lot of people interested, and I put a bunch of fliers in mailboxes in my neighborhood.

BK: Have you participated in Bowling for Apes before?
James: The first year, I didn’t. Last year, I raised $1,050, but couldn’t attend. So this was the first year that I raised money and got to go to the event.

BK: Tell us about the event!
James: A bunch of people fundraised like I did, but most of them live in Iowa and it was easier for them to get to the event than it was for me. I had to drive from Canada! At the event, there is a bowling area where you sign in so that the people at the Great Ape Trust can contact you and let you know how they will use the money. Then we bowled and got to meet a lot of other people who are into apes. And we got to see a lot of scientists and people involved in the Great Ape Trust. Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh bowled in our lane with us!

BK: How did you first hear about bonobos?
James: I’ve always been interested in primates, but I didn’t like how violent they could be. Then I found out about bonobos in a great ape documentary, and how they were more peaceful. I really liked that so I just kept learning more.

BK: Have you ever met a bonobo?
James: I’ve been to many zoos to see them San Diego, Columbus, Cincinnatti and Twycross, and of course, the Great Ape Trust of Iowa. On a previous visit to the Great Ape Trust, I got to go behind the scenes because of my donations and the work that I’ve done. I fed Kanzi, and Panbanisha and Kanzi’s nephew, Nyota.

BK: What was that like! That is amazing!
James: I put the salad in a box that moved from the room I was in to Kanzi’s room. I gave him a lot of carrots in his salad one time, and he said that he liked having a lot of carrots in his salad. He used his lexigram to talk to me, but he could understand me when I spoke to him.

BK: Was there anything that surprised you about the bonobos when you saw them up close?
James: I couldn’t believe how much they are like humans - that they do the same things that kids do…I didn’t expect that! They even played chase with me. Kanzi asked me to play with them using the lexigram - I understood him because I had learned what many of the symbols meant. And from opposite sides of the glass, we chased each other all over.

BK: What are your plans for the future?
James: Now that this event is done, I will be doing a few more things to try to help apes:

• I am writing a letter to kids in Africa for the Bonobo Conservation Initiative
• I am going to update my website and my blog
• I am going to raise money for KidsSaveApes to donate to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund
• I am going to stay involved with all the apes groups I belong to and work for them
• I am going to write to politicians and others who can help ensure that apes are protected and that the people of Africa and Borneo and Sumatra who live near them are looked after.
• I am going to get a Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots group active in my community.

BK: James, we can not thank you enough for all of your efforts…and for telling so many people about I’m Lucy. You are an inspiration and the great apes and this world are lucky to have you!

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Barack Obama has an entire portion of his site dedicated to kids - it’s called Kids for Obama. Even though you aren’t allowed to vote just yet, there are many things that you can still do. Of course, because these ideas came from Obama’s campaign, they focus on spreading the word about Obama. If you feel that McCain is the better candidate, you can substitute his name.

10 Ways Kids for Obama can get involved:

• Create a Kids for Obama Group on My.Barackobama.com. For example, Chicago Kids for Obama or DC Kids for Obama and throw a party!
• Write a letter or editorial to your local news paper, expressing “Why Barack Obama should become the next US President”.
• Find a Pen Pal - it could be in your school, city, state, or another state. Write and discuss different ways you can get involved.
• Draw a picture of Senator Barack Obama or “an expression of Democracy”. For example, the Senator sitting in the White House or working on Capitol. Hill. You can send your drawing to the Obama for America Campaign Headquarters in Chicago and it will be posted for the Senator to see.
• Implement T-Shirt Thursday. Get friends to wear an official Obama for America T-Shirt to school.
• Take an adult (voting age) to the polls on Election Day and encourage them to vote for you, by voting for Senator Obama.
• Post an official Obama for America Campaign sticker/logo on your school bag.
• Wear an Obama for America Campaign button and/or clothing.
• Host a Senator Barack Obama House Party or sleep-over.
• Contribute to the Kids for Obama Blog.

What do you think of this list? Do you have any of your own ideas to add and share? We’d love to hear them!

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

We all know that plastic bags are a serious problem for our environment. We just heard about some awesome kids on Westchester County, New York who have done quite a clean up where plastic bags are concerned.

On June 28th, 2008, they created ‘Plastic Bag Day’ and collected 39,995 plastic bags! That’s 421 pounds of plastic bags!!! Totally amazing. The county reports that since they’ve announced the inclusion of plastic bags in their recycling program, they’ve collected over 7,000 pounds of plastic bags and that 20% comes from local school kids’ efforts.

In addition, the county has passed a law that will become effective this fall, 2008 that requires large retail stores (over 10,000 square feet) to display receptacles to collect, transport and recycle plastic bags.

If you are looking to take environmental and/or bonobo-inspiried action in your community, Westchester County has offered a super model. Contact Andy Spano, Westchester’s County Executive for more information and to tell him that he and his county have done a great, great thing.

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Eleven year-old Haley Stern, president of Kids Save Apes, had an incredible journey to Boston in May where she met Jane Goodall, our very own Mathea Levine, and James Brooks - an incredible young man who has also done so much to raise awareness and money to help save great apes (and bonobos in particular). The reason for the trip was that Haley was chosen (with James as her co-pres) to present the great work that she’s doing as a member of Jane Goodall’s youth organization, Roots & Shoots. In her own words, here is the story of Haley’s adventure:

The weekend had finally arrived - I’d be meeting James Brooks, Mathea Levine - and of course - JANE GOODALL!

My dad and I drove into Boston with all of the Kids Save Apes material. “There it is!” I called up to the front seat. “Legal Seafood!” We walked in. I had only seen small photographs of James, but he was easy to spot. He was wearing a t-shirt with a gorilla, and a Great Ape Trust baseball cap. I sat down in between James, and Mathea’s kind daughters, Isabella and Delilah. I was not used to this… and I was thinking “Wow, this trip was arranged by me!? I was the one who was the advocate and talked with Roots & Shoots, and met James, and got every one together!”

So I had my meal, Mathea signed I’m Lucy for us, and we chatted a bit longer, and James, Neil (his dad), my dad and I walked out of the restaurant thinking about our next event - the Jane Goodall lecture.

It was great!! She receieved a standing ovation before she spoke a word. Of course, we were VERY proud of her accomplishments as well, being the advocates that us kids are.

I guess I expected the lecture to be long, boring, like most talks are! But Jane blew us all away. She talked about her unique experiences and the reasons for hope. She talked about kids, and how we ought to make a difference. To sum it up - you won’t regret it.

In the morning, we had a lot of fun. We presented our projects, gave a speech, and then…..met, and took pictures with Dr. Jane. It wasn’t like meeting someone famous, it was like meeting an old friend. She signed my book “Through a Window” and we were off. It was a great moment…and I hope to meet her again in the future.

After that, we went to the Franklin Park Zoo with James and Neil. We got face to face with gorillas ( a topic that I’ve reflected on through school reports ) and wow - that changed my life. When you get to know them for a while, the bonds really show!

Over all, I had a really amazing time, and I hope to have more events like this in the future !!

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Marian Brickner, our fearless photog, is at it again! She just brought I’m Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo to the Child Care Center in St. Louis where she serves as a board member…and the kids LOVED it.

I tried to pick just one picture to share with you all, but I can’t…so here they all are.

The first one is my absolute favorite - I think that page in the book is hilarious too:

It just doesn’t get any better than this!!!

Thanks, Marian for the great pictures and for sharing Lucy and her bonobo family with these awesome kids!

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

We continue to hear great stories from our readers, and it appears that our lovely photographer, Marian Brickner, made quite an impression at the Earth Day celebration at the Jacksonville Zoo last month!

Here is the story of two Lucys that we received today…

Dear Marian,
Hello again. My name is Robyn, and I am a Kindergarten teacher in Florida. As you hopefully recall, my 4 year-old daughter Lucy and I met you at the Jacksonville Zoo on Earth Day weekend. Lucy was very excited to discover that there is a book about a cute little bonobo with her same name!! You were nice enough to talk with us and sign the copy of your book we purchased that day. Lucy couldn’t wait to go back to pre-K that next week and share the book for Show and Tell. Her class loved it! Here is a picture that Ms. Patti, her pre-K teacher took of Lucy reading about Lucy!

Thanks, Robyn and Lucy for sending us this great letter and for loving I’m Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo! Happy reading, thanks for sharing I’m Lucy!

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

From time to time, we will take the passenger seat and let someone else do the blogging - it could be a person who works with bonobos, a primatologist, a scientist, someone who raises money to help bonobos or someone who just plain loves bonobos! Today, I’m so pleased to introduce you to James Brooks - a 10 year-old, self-proclaimed bonobo fan. James has read everything there is to read about bonobos and other apes, he has raised over $1000 (with plans to raise much more) for bonobos through Bowl for Apes and the generous donation of his birthday and Christmas gifts, he has spent time with bonobos and traveled the world (well, almost) learning and doing. James is an inspiration to us at Bonobo Kids - his passion and his ‘activities for good’ overwhelm us with gratefulness and hope.

James introduced us to a very cool concept called ‘Theory of Mind’ and, without further ado, I’m going to let him tell you all about it….

“Theory of mind” is a term psychologists use that means being able to guess how another person is thinking. Humans develop this ability around the age of two to three and people used to think it was uniquely human. But many studies of other apes show they can have a theory of mind too.

The best experiment with kids for “theory of mind” goes like this: You hide an object like a chocolate bar with two kids in the room and both of them can see that it is being hidden in place 1. Then you take one of the children out of the room and leave one in and move the chocolate bar to a different hiding spot. Then ask the child who saw it moved “where do you think the other child will look for it?”. Children without a theory of mind will say place 2 where the chocolate bar actually is. Children with a theory of mind will say that the child who left the room would look where he/she thought it was which is place 1. Sometimes they do this experiment with the children pointing because sometimes 2 years olds don’t always speak that well.

Non-human apes have proven in lots of experiments that they can have a “theory of mind”. Here is a story about the bonobo, Kanzi and his sister Panbanisha at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa:

One day Kanzi and Panbanisha were each trying to make tools to open a box of food. Kanzi was able to do it but Panbanisha couldn’t make a sharp enough stone. Kanzi tried to help Panbanisha but the scientists would not allow him to so they decided to take Kanzi away. Kanzi hid a stone that he had used where Panbanisha could easily find it and use it. This shows that he is considerate and could think from Panbanisha’s pont of view. He knew what she needed and tried to help her.

Thanks again, James for this awesome information and story…everyone go visit James’ Ape Aware site and blog.

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Some days, blogging about the bonobos is really difficult. We do a lot of our research looking for recent bonobo news – and it isn’t always good. We know you all know this, but the bonobos are in trouble. They need our help because their land in the DRC is shrinking – so is their food supply. The bonobos are being hunted and hurt by people. When we start to get this sad, and we just can’t find any good news, we think about you.

We think about how great it is that you tune in to our blog to find out how you can help the bonobos. When we start thinking about what you do every day to help your ape cousins, we start to smile. From your letters to us, we know that you are recycling, reducing your carbon footprint, telling your friends about I’m Lucy, and even making donations with your allowance. Some of you are creating brand new ways to help save the bonobos. And, we know that you will keep up this great work.

Today would be a perfect day to hear from you! Write us and tell us more stories about all of the good things that are happening! Things you are doing for the bonobos and the environment…how are you spreading the word?

Help Spread the Word!!!

Powered by Bookmarkify™