One of Our Gorillas is Missing!
A School of Animal Magic Adventure
by Burt Kempner

Professor Artemus Quinn, a silverback gorilla who’s the headmaster of the School of Animal Magic (SAM), has taken a leave of absence to search for his missing young nephew Kembi. When Professor Quinn himself vanishes, SAM’s boldest action team — Maisha the elephant, Jonas the cattle egret and Maliki the white lion — sets off to discover who’s behind these mysterious disappearances. Will they make it in time to save their friends?

5 out of 5 fairies

This was a wonderful adventure story that’s perfect to read aloud with kids. While this does focus on animals (they are the main characters after all), there are some important lessons woven in, but not in an overbearing way. Kempner takes on some heavy issues, but in a kid-friendly way that could easily spark kids interest in helping save animals from poaching and environmental destruction of the planet. You don’t have to read the previous books in the series, but I have a feeling they’ll be just as entertaining and engaging.

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Lily: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Burt I enjoyed reading One of Our Gorillas is Missing! – This is the 5th book in a series, what inspired you to create a School of Animal Magic?

Burt: I wanted to introduce children to the subject of endangered species in a way that wouldn’t scare or depress them but still get across the seriousness of the matter. I also wanted to show them what they could do to help. The stories use humor and action to engage young readers.

Lily: I think you did a great job! If you could attend the SAM, what animal would you be, and why?

Burt: There’s a river on the western boundary of the school. The freshwater dolphin jumping and swimming in it? That would be me.

Lily: That sounds like it would be a lot of fun. If you could spend a day with Maisha, Jonas, and Maliki, what would you do?

Burt: I would have loved to have accompanied them to Maliki’s home planet in The Purple Wave. I’ve always wanted to explore new worlds.

Lily: That would be an awesome adventure. Are there more SAM adventures in the works?

Burt: I imagine so. I’ll go months and months without thinking about it and then one day out of nowhere an idea for a new book pops into my mind.

Lily: I hope a new one pops in, if this book was any indication of the series, it’s a great one. Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. Where’s your favorite place to write?

Burt: I have a small office that looks over a beautiful garden. If you can’t find inspiration there you won’t find it anywhere.

Lily: I bet it’s absolutely perfect for sparking creativity. How do you keep track of inspiration when it strikes?

Burt: I have several small notebooks strategically placed in different rooms throughout the house. I won’t take a chance on letting a good idea get away.

Lily: It sounds like you’re well prepared! Do you have a time of day you prefer to write?

Burt: I usually devote the hours between one to five for writing, and expand those hours when I’m on a roll.

Lily: I’ve heard a lot of people say routine is key, and I totally understand not wanting to stop once you’re on a roll. Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind. What’s your favorite dinosaur? What’s a fun fact about it?

Burt: The apatosaurus was so big it needed two brains: one in its skull and a smaller one at the base of its tail. It needed that relay to convey information throughout its body. I think of the

heart as a second, perhaps more important, brain.

Lily: That’s awesome! If you could spend a week anywhere on earth (and money/travel there/etc was no problem), where would you go?

Burt: I have enduring love for Santorini, one of the most beautiful Greek islands. I went there first in 1977 and had a magical time there, then returned 38 years later with my wife and had an equally

Lily: It’d be a great place to return to, especially with so many good memories. Would you rather talk to animals that travel on land, in water, or in the air? Which animal would you most want to talk to?

Burt: I worked on a documentary about dolphins being used to help treat autisitic children. I became fascinated by the thought of communication between dolphins and humans. I think it’s possible and I only hope it happens during my lifetime. I addressed some of the issues dolphins face in the second School of Animal Magic Book, Dolphins in Distress.

Lily: Dolphins have always fascinated me, and I’d love to know what they have to say if we find a way to communicate with them. What’s the closest thing to magic that you’ve ever seen/experienced?

Burt: My wife, my then-five-year-old son and I spent the most magical day imaginable on the beach at the edge of a rainforest in Costa Rica. There were howler monkeys behind us, iguanas and coatimundis (raccoon-like creatures) beside us. I wanted that moment to last forever.

Lily: That must have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. What is the silliest way you’ve hurt yourself?

Burt: I did something – I have no idea what! – to offend a horse. He was going at a good clip and came to an unexpected, sudden stop. I kept going. The main thing injured was my dignity.

Lily: I’m glad you weren’t seriously hurt! Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Burt: You covered it all, Lily. Thanks!

Lily: I’m so glad you stopped in, it’s been a pleasure having you here. How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Burt: The best place is my website: www.burtkempner.com

Writer-Producer Burt Kempner has worked professionally in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Florida. His work has won numerous major awards, and has been seen by groups ranging in size from a national television audience in the United States to a half-dozen Maori chieftains in New Zealand. Spurred by his love for inspiring young people, he started writing children’s books in 2015. Larry the Lazy Blue Whale was his first published book, followed by Monty the Movie Star Moose, The Five Fierce Tigers of Rosa Martinez and the School of Animal Magic Adventure series: Maisha the Educated Elephant, Dolphins in Distress, The Salmon Who Wanted to Run, The Purple Wave and One of Our Gorillas is Missing!

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