Diamond Willow Nominee

Ortega

By Maureen Fergus.

Kids Can Press, 2010.
9781554534746 (hc)

Currently2.89673913043/5 Stars
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Rated by: 184 users

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Ortega is a gorilla, taken from his mother as a baby by scientists, who taught him to talk, read and write. Now they want to send him to school. Ortega is scared - positive his classmates will think he’s a freak. School is actually working out, until the unthinkable happens. Can Ortega’s friends save him?

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About the Author

Maureen Fergus is from Winnipeg, MB

In addition to being a writer, Maureen Fergus is a business professional with a science degree and an MBA. Exploits of a Reluctant (But Extremely Goodlooking) Hero was her first novel; her writing has also appeared in magazines such as Today’s Parent, Chatelaine and Readers Digest. She was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and lived in a number of other Canadian cities before eventually moving back to Winnipeg, where she currently resides with her husband and three young children.

Visit the publisher's website, http://www.kidscanpress.com/

Book Reviews

Suggested Activities

Activity: Interviews
a.    This activity is a role-play, question and answer situation. In pairs, one person is Ortega (the talking Chimp) and the other is a news reporter. Have students negotiate who will be Ortega and who will be the reporter.
b.    Have pairs work together to develop appropriate questions
c.    Provide time for the students to conduct the interview
d.    Invite the students to share some of the ideas from their interviews
e.    At the conclusion ask the students which part of the text influenced their question and answer.

Comments

Comment #1 posted on October 21, 2011, 9:36 PM

You add a lot of good detail.

Myja Lamont, Lumsden school

Comment #2 posted on November 29, 2011, 4:49 PM

I had a lot of mixed emotions- happiness,sadness, anger- but in all, its a good book. I think it is a must read. =P

Madeline B., Kamsack Comprehensive Institute

Comment #3 posted on December 19, 2011, 11:26 AM

Ortega is a great book and I like when his friends took him away from Dr.Whitmore, and I LOVED the part when Dr. Whitmore got fired because he treated Ortega like an experiment.This book was funny especially when Ziggy got loose in the school. I would reccommend this book to anyone who likes books with animals, action, and humour.

Grayson, Cut Knife High School

Comment #4 posted on December 19, 2011, 11:51 AM

I really injoyed the book Ortega. How did you come up with the book? You should write another book that Ortega gets a wife.

Carter, CKHS

Comment #5 posted on January 01, 2012, 4:45 PM

I'm glad that so many of you have read Ortega and liked it. I had a lot of fun writing it - Ortega seemed so real to me that sometimes it seemed like I was writing just to find out what he'd do or say next! And although I don't think I'll be writing any more books about Ortega, I always love hearing what readers think he might have gotten up to next (like getting a wife!).

The 2011 Willow Awards