Montgomery, Sy. 2006. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-618-49641-6.
Superior in photo content, organization, storyline, and accessories, it is no wonder this book was selected as the 2007 Orbis Pictus Award winner. The photography by Nic Bishop is striking and flawless. An array of New Guinea's spectacular creatures, including an eclectus parrot and green tree python, as well as colorful plant-life, the people of New Guinea, and the island's wild mountains and forests pop off of the page with clarity and personality. More than just recounting a quest for the mysterious tree kangaroo, this informational, first-person story provides a framework of knowledge for the reader by exposing the geography, culture and history of the island, it's relation to the tree kangaroo and the visiting researchers (lead by scientist Lisa Dabek), and the many preparations for the journey to the island. The book concludes with information on conservation, zoo locations, the Tok Pisin language, acknowledgements, notes from the author and photographer, and an index. Concise headings every 5-8 pages and large photographs break the text into very manageable sections. The language is straight-forward and never overwhelming. Readers will leave this book feeling that they, themselves, have taken the trip to New Guinea, hiked the rugged mountains, captured the illusive Matchie's tree kangaroo, rubbed it's soft tummy, taken it's measurements, and aided in protection of this endangered species.
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