"THE GIRL WITH NO NAME: The Incredible True Story of a Child Raised by Monkeys," by Lynne Barrett-Lee and Marina Chapman, Pegasus Books, $26.95, 256 pages (nf)
Abducted and abandoned when she was very young, 4 or 5, Marina Chapman is a girl with no name" who survives in the Colombian jungle only because she learns to eat and live like the monkeys.
The story is almost a Tarzan-like tale except her tale includes the pains and abuse she had to endure after she made her way back to life with humans.
Her life in the jungle, by contrast, is almost idyllic as the capuchin monkeys accept her, play games with her and even save her life when she eats a deadly seed.
This determined and bright little girl sleeps in a hollowed-out tree and forages for food with her monkey mates. She learns to communicate without words. She climbs up into the canopy with them.
She never stops thinking, however, of where she is supposed to be and if her mother is coming for her.
But she copes by watching the monkeys and living like they do for several years.
Her serious problems begin after she shows herself to a pair of hunters who then take her from the jungle and sell her to a mean-spirited brothel keeper.
She's basically enslaved until the situation gets so bad that she runs.
She next ends up on the streets, living in the local park with other hungry orphans. From there she ends up in a home sleeping outside with the dogs, taking to the trees to escape.
Only the kindness of a neighbor saves her from taking her street smarts to living life as a hardened criminal.
This is genuinely an unbelievable, touching story, a mix of grit and courage that is both inspiring and sad because it's true.
Chapman only gained a real name after she was grown, and her story is told because her daughter spent hours interviewing and recording the life she remembered.
"The Girl with No Name" works as a story and as a lesson in survival by one's wits. The tough parts are gently told, and the sexual references are muted.
This story can be a discussion tool for parents and families about taking the bounties of life for granted, enduring and caring for others, even making a life-or-death difference for someone.
Plus, it's just really a good read.
Sharon Haddock is a professional writer with more than 35 years experience, 17 at the Deseret News. Her personal blog is at sharonhaddock.blogspot.com.
Email: haddoc@deseretnews.com