“ResQ Takes on the Takhi” by Eva J. Pell

• 08/02/2020
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ResQ Takes on the Takhi
Eva J. Pell
Illustrated by Alexa Lindauer
Tumblehome, Inc. (2020)
ISBN: 9781943431564
Reviewed by Maddie (age 12) for Reader Views Kids (04/2020)

“ResQ Takes on the Takhi” by Eva J. Pell is the second book in a series called “ResQ: Saving One Animal at a Time.” It’s about an organization called ResQ, headed up by a couple of kids on a mission to save endangered animals. The ResQ team is made up of Wheaton Guinto who is a brainiac and his cousin Stowe LeBlond who is a naturalist and a vegetarian. Their grandmother Ariella, a wildlife photographer, is also on the team but she has mostly a guardian type of role, traveling with Wheaton and Stowe on their cases.

In this story, the ResQ team is called to Mongolia to find a lost harem of Takhi – Mongolian wild horses. The harem strayed outside the Hustai Nuruu National Park and if they aren’t found could threaten the park’s process of reintroducing the Takhi back into the wild. It’s full of adventure, fun and some danger with wild animals, natural elements, and suspense. There is also a lot of information about Mongolia, Science and the Takhi. The author keeps you interested in saving the Takhi and in wanting to learn more. I like how the main parts of the story are exciting and keeps you reading and then Stowe has daily journal entries that explain a lot of facts to the reader about different things they find and experience on their case. It’s in Stowe’s journal entries that you can learn more about science, nature and wildlife.

Along with the true features, the story is also full of Wheaton’s wild and wacky sci-fi kind of inventions. Things such as the Dynochute, the ECAPS, the HeliBoaJee and the Finder (a bionic dog) help the team on their rescue mission.

Wheaton is the super smart guy who is definitely a techie nerd. Stowe is also really smart in other areas like wildlife and conservation. They are both pretty young and even though they sound like they know everything they don’t come across as characters you don’t like. I thought it was funny the way they call their grandmother by her first name!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading “ResQ Takes on the Takhi” by Eva J. Pell and look forward to reading more books in the series. I think kids from ages 8-15 would like this story best but adults will like it too.  There is something for everyone and the pictures that look like they are hand-drawn are great.