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Recently, one of us wrote a letter to Stuart Gibbs, bestselling author of Spy School and the FunJungle series, asking him to include pangolins in his next book. (Caution, this contains spoilers)
Our letter:
Dear Mr. Gibbs,
An estimated 300 pangolins are captured and trafficked every day, totaling up to an average of about 100,000 each year. The pangolin is the world’s most trafficked mammal and its numbers are decreasing rapidly. For example, the giant pangolin is now regionally extinct in Rwanda. In your FunJungle books, you often write about an endangered species and then write a small letter to your readers in the back of your book persuading them to help save the species. In your book Poached, I learned which organizations help save koalas and what I could do to help. The problem is that many have heard of the koala, whereas not many have heard of the pangolin, so many people will not work to save the pangolin if they don’t know what it is. But, if you write a book about the pangolin it may help the species’ chances to survive by letting people know what a pangolin is.
My friends and I are working to raise awareness in our community, but we cannot raise awareness on a national level. We are making a website, but that will not do so much, whereas millions of people read your books.. So, please, include a pangolin in one of your next books. It will help the stop the “plight of the pangolin”.
Sincerely,
5th Grade, Chenery Middle School, Belmont MA
His reply:
Hi
First of all, I am very impressed that you are aware of the plight of the pangolin, and I greatly appreciate you writing to me about them.
I have been aware of this issue for quite some time, and I hope you will pleased to know that my next book deals with the issue of illegal animal trafficking. However, the focus of the book will not be on pangolins specifically, but the global illegal animal trade in general. (I do mention pangolins at one point, however, and will probably devote more room in my author note in the back of the book to them.
It is wonderful to hear that you are doing what you can to raise awareness about this in your community. Be aware that the World Wildlife Fund's animal crimes division is working on this, though every bit helps.
Sincerely,
Stuart
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