Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor    by Peter Alexander Order:  USA  Can Trafford, 2010 (2010) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Though Peter Alexander's Mubu & Mu-Mu: The Little Animal Doctor looks like a picture book, the amount of text (and the text font size) accompanying the images makes it more suitable for early chapter book readers. This charming story, set in Northern Thailand, is based on a real young woman, Lek Chailert, who works with animals in Elephant Nature Park. The six-year-old narrator explains how one day her grandfather Noom (a healer who finds plants in the forest to help villagers) brings back an injured baby gibbon. Grandfather asks Mubu to be his 'little animal doctor', but gives her rules to follow (no naming the little creature, no cuddling, and no gibbon in her bed). He emphasizes that 'wild animals must return to the forest where Nature intended them to be.' Of course Mubu breaks all three rules, starting with naming her new friend Mu-Mu. And eventually Grandfather takes Mu-Mu back to the forest. Later, he takes Mubu to see the small gibbon reunited with its family - and Mu-Mu remembers her! At the back of the book is information on different kinds of gibbons (some endangered), with photos, as well as a description of Mubu's exciting life in Thailand (without televisions, telephones or computer games). Any child with a passion for animals will be enthralled by Mubu & Mu-Mu. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews