Good Morning, Gorillas by Mary Pope Osborne Read Free Book Online Page A

said Jack. He pulled out his notebook and wrote:

    Then he read more:
    The African cloud forest is home to many animals, including elephants, water buffaloes, black leopards … 
    Jack looked up.
    “Black leopards?” he said.
    “Don’t worry,” said Annie.
    Jack cleared his throat and kept reading:
     … antelopes, wild hogs, and gorillas.
    “Gorillas?”
said Annie.
    “Don’t worry,” said Jack.
    “I’m not worried. I
love
gorillas,” said Annie. “They’re totally great!”
    “I don’t know about that,” said Jack. He pictured huge apes pounding their chests. “I’d like to study them, though. Write down their habits and behavior, just like a real scientist.”
    “Whatever,” said Annie. “Let’s just go. This’ll be a fun adventure!” She took off down the ladder.
    Jack threw his notebook, the research book, and the flashlight into his pack. He hooked the umbrella over his arm. Then he followed Annie.
    When they stepped onto the ground, Jack could see better. The fog had turned into a fine mist.
    Jack and Annie started through the cloud forest. They walked around huge trees draped with moss. They pushed past tall shrubs and leafy plants.
    “Wow, look at
that
tree,” said Annie.
    She pointed to a fat tree. It had wide lower limbs padded with thick cushions of moss.
    “It looks like a piece of furniture,” said Annie, “like an armchair.”
    “Yeah,” said Jack. “I better draw it.”
    He put the umbrella on the ground. He pulled the flashlight out of his pack and put it next to the umbrella. Then he took out his notebook and pencil.
    As Annie walked ahead, Jack started to draw a simple picture of the fat tree.
    “Hey, Jack,” Annie called in a whispery voice. “Come here. Quick!”
    Jack grabbed his pack. He moved around the tree and caught up with Annie.
    “Listen,” she said.
    Jack heard branches snap.
    Crack!
    A leopard?
he wondered.
    Crack! Crack!
    Jack nervously looked around the forest.
    “Maybe we should go back up to the tree house,” he said. “We could read a little more and learn a little more.”
    Annie didn’t answer. Jack turned to her. She was grinning from ear to ear as she stared into the bushes. Jack followed her gaze.
    A dark, shaggy little head was peeking out from a cluster of leaves.
    “Bu, bu?”
a small gorilla asked.

The gorilla’s fur was very black against the green leaves. She had large nostrils and small ears. Her bright brown eyes were full of mischief.
    “Bu, bu, bu,”
she said.
“Bu, bu.”
    “
Bu, bu
yourself,” said Annie.
    The gorilla hid behind the leaves again. Then she poked her head out.
    “Peekaboo!” said Annie.
    The gorilla clapped her hands together. She stuck out her tongue.

    Jack and Annie both laughed.
    “
Bu, bu, bu!
” the gorilla said. Then she bounded away through the misty forest.
    “Hey, Bu-bu! Don’t leave us!” Annie called.
    Jack rolled his eyes. “Don’t name her Bu-bu,” he said to Annie. “You don’t have to—”
    “Wait, Bu-bu!” Annie shouted. She took off after the small gorilla.
    “—turn every animal into your best friend,” Jack finished. He shook his head. Then he made a list in his notebook.

    As he wrote, Jack heard Annie laughing. But then he heard high shrieks.
    He caught his breath.
A leopard?
he wondered.
    Carrying his notebook, Jack hurried in the direction of the noise. He found Annie and the small gorilla perched in two trees.
    “What’s wrong?” said Jack, standing beneath the trees.
    “Nothing!” called Annie. “We’re just playing.”
    The small gorilla screeched again. Then she scratched her head and hiccuped.
    Annie screeched, too. She scratched
her
head and hiccuped.
    While they played, Jack studied the gorilla a bit more.
    He noticed she was about the size of a three-year-old kid. Her fingers looked like human fingers. They even had fingernails! He made a new list:

    Jack heard the tree leaves shaking. He looked up. Annie and the gorilla had both climbed