Doyli to the Rescue
by Cathleen Burnham

Doyli to the Rescue: Saving Baby Monkeys in the Amazon is a photodocumentary book by Cathleen Burnham. Young readers will meet Doyli, a real 10-year-old girl who rescues endangered, orphaned monkeys from the perils of native hunters and the black market. She carries the rescued animals to her island home in the Peruvian Amazon, where she nurtures them with loving care and nourishing food.

When the little monkey orphans are old enough, she releases them back to their natural habitat: the rainforest.

It is the first book in Burnham’s WAKA (World Association of Kids and Animals) series, six books for young readers that profile wildlife preservation efforts being undertaken by kids around the globe to save Earth’s most endangered animals.

Cathleen Burnham visited young Doyli and Doyli’s family and school on a trip taken with Burnham’s own kids. Together with her family, Burnham travels the world meeting extraordinary, real children saving animals.

Teacher’s guide will be available (April 1) at the WAKABooks.org website.

Cathleen Burnham is an experienced travel and wildlife photojournalist. She has done assignments across the globe from Africa to Southeast Asia, from South and Central America to Europe.

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Lily:  Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Cathleen I really enjoyed Doyli to the Rescue: Saving baby Monkeys in the Amazon. This book is part of a series highlighting kids who make wildlife preservation efforts around the world, what inspired you to start this series?  

Cathleen:  Well, in my early twenties I made a list of things I’d like to experience and achieve. One was to help animals with something tangible, like help get legislation changed.  I was on a leisure trip with my family in the Amazon when I met Doyli.  My kids were fascinated with her life.  I thought a book about a kid hands-on helping endangered species would make a good model for kids who want to help animals.  Then, I thought there must be other kids in the world helping their own “backyard” wildlife and a series could fulfill that original goal of helping foster change for animals.  

Lily:  That’s wonderful and a great way to spread awareness to the younger generation! How did you first meet/hear about Doyli?

Cathleen:  I was motoring down the Amazon River and saw monkeys all over this island.  The thing about the Amazon is, is there is tons of wildlife, but you hardly ever see it because they all hide in the dense rainforest.  I asked my guide what the deal was with this island and he said it was a family who takes in orphaned, endangered primates, raise and release them.  Well! That was just astoundingly exciting to me.  I asked if we could visit the island and he said that we unfortunately could not, because it was just a private family working on their own.  I’ll usually go with whatever my guides recommend, but this time I was a bit obnoxious. I kept asking him to ask the family if we could visit.  He finally said yes and was surprised when the family said we could come.  We learned all about the animals from Gilberto Retegui, the man who started the sanctuary.  And, as he was showing us around all day, this delightful sprite-of-a-girl kept peeking around corners with, say, a tamarin on her head!  Or, she’d be cradling a baby howler monkey. She was always delightful, just exuding joy, and always being trailed by a little parrot, who, I later learned, was her best friend named Aurora.  

Lily:  I’m glad you were persistent. Would you have done something like this when you were Doyli’s age if you were able to?

Cathleen:  Yes.  This would have been my life’s dream as a kid.  I was lucky enough to excel in school, but I did not enjoy school. I was obsessed with animals – I played veterinarian instead of dolls – and felt I’d been born on the wrong continent:  I felt I should’ve been born in Africa where wildlife is abundant. So, Doyli’s life would have been perfect for me.  

Lily:  I can tell you really love animals. What’s one thing you hope readers take away from this book?

Cathleen:  That Doyli’s love of animals actually saves them.  That she’s one kid making a tremendous difference in her small way.  And, although her backyard wildlife looks exotic to us, it’s common to her.  Our backyard wildlife would look exotic to her, and kids in the U.S. can protect it.  

Lily:  That’s a great lesson for kids. Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer. Do you have a favorite place to write?

Cathleen:  In hotel rooms, alone.  Unfortunately, I can’t do that all the time, so I have a beautiful writing room that overlooks an ocean sound.  

Lily:  Sounds like a beautiful writing spot. Do you prefer to type, handwrite, or dictate your first draft?

Cathleen:  I love to hand-write things.  There’s a hand-brain thing that goes on.  But, I’m working on a new series and I did it all just taking notes in the middle of the night as the came to me on my iphone!  Then, I transferred it all to a laptop and I’ve been writing exclusively on that.  

Lily:  I’m a fan of handwriting myself, honestly. How hard is it to choose the photos for your books?

Cathleen:   It’s hard for two reasons:  There are so many photos I love so I have to really whittle them down. And, it’s hard to reject the artistically best photos in favor of a lesser photo that tells the story better.   

Lily:  Totally understandable. Let’s finish up with some fun questions and get inside your mind. If you could choose one animal to make no longer endangered, which one would it be?

Cathleen:  Elephants.

Lily:  They are beautiful creatures. Do you have a favorite place you’ve traveled to?

Cathleen:  Africa, specifically Tanzania and Botswana.  

Lily:  I bet that was a fun trip. When did you first get into photography? Did you always want to be a photojournalist?

Cathleen:  Ah, I’ve been working in a dark room since the third grade.  I was part of a program where once a week I could choose from a bunch of creative things, and I’d spend the entire time in the dark room.  My parents made a dark room for me in our house when I was twelve, and then when I was in my twenties I had one in my house. Now it’s all digital.  No, I wanted to be a veterinarian.  But, I think I’ve always been a writer.  I didn’t want to be a writer because it’s such a solitary pursuit, but I’ve learned you really can’t deny your internal wiring.  I’m happiest when I’m writing or especially have written!  

Lily:  That’s amazing, I’m so glad you got to start early. What’s your favorite thing to have for dinner?

Cathleen:  I love a baked potato, salad and Brussels sprouts. I know, very weird!  I love vegetables, and of course, love that no animal suffered for my meal.  

Lily:  That sounds like a great meal to me. Would you rather be covered in fur, scales, or feathers, and what color would they be?

Cathleen:  Very soft fur, and I think I’d like it to be light brown.  

Lily:  Soft fur sounds wonderful. What’s one place you haven’t visited but would like to?

Cathleen:  Outer Mongolia.  

Lily:  I hope you’re able to get there, some day. Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Cathleen:  I’m just really appreciative to you for interviewing me!  And, for reading my book.  This was fun!  

Lily:  It was so fun to have you here! How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Cathleen:  They can go to my publisher’s website:  https://travelnitch.org

Cathleen Burnham’s books have received glowing reviews in the School Library Journal. She is also a recipient of the Shibo children’s book award. Before she began writing, Cathleen spent 20+ years as a wildlife rehabilitator. Her photography has even been exhibited at the National Wildlife Museum.

As an avid traveler, Cathleen spends many months per annum tenting in remote parts of the world, admiring impressive architecture in cities around the world, and exploring ancient villages dotting far-away landscapes. She loves visiting new places off the beaten path with only a camera, her backpack, and one nagging question, “I wonder how they do things here?”

Cathleen spent many happy decades raising nearly-perfect (to her) children. Now she divides her time between Upstate New York and coastal North Carolina where she spends her days on dolphin watch with her favorite person, Chris, a St. Bernard named Molly and her calico cat, Martha.

Follow Cathleen on Amazon for updates about her next book, or learn more at cathleen.travelnitch.org.

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