Winner of the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

Written by wildlife activist and scientist Trang Nguyen – who was featured as one of the environmental heroes in episode eight of the BBC’s Planet Earth III – Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is an inspirational graphic-novel adventure, based on a true story about a young conservationist who overcomes the odds to save a sun bear.

When Chang discovers a bear farm near her home in Vietnam, she decides to do everything she can to save wild animals – by becoming a conservationist. After teaching herself survival skills and learning all she can about the rainforest, Chang is finally accepted as a rescue centre volunteer. But her toughest challenge yet comes when she makes a vow to return Sorya – the sun bear she raised from infancy – back to the wild. Because despite being a different species, Sorya is Chang’s best friend. And letting a friend go is never easy, even when it’s the right thing to do.

With breathtaking graphic-novel style illustrations by award-winning manga artist Jeet Zdung, Chang’s daring story is for any young reader, animal lover, and intrepid explorer who’s ready for adventure!

'A beautiful, moving and uplifting tale of perseverance and overcoming challenge, and how small steps can make a big difference.' - BookTrust

'I cannot praise this book enough.' – Mat Tobin

'The epitome of wild and free.' - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

'Stirring and gorgeously rendered, this eco-conscious tale is a superb purchase for all libraries.' - School Library Journal, starred review

Prizes

Winner of The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2023 (UK)

A beautiful, moving and uplifting tale of perseverance and overcoming challenge, and how small steps can make a big difference. * BookTrust *
What an accomplishment. I cannot praise this book enough. Jeet Zdung's illustrations are incredible. Get this book. * Mathew Tobin, Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and Blogger *
Zdung’s use of watercolors in his frankly gorgeous illustrations enhances the rainforest setting, and the portrayals of its animal inhabitants are the epitome of wild and free. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *
Nguyen’s heartfelt tale is perfect for animal-loving fans of Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan and Rosanne Parry’s A Wolf Called Wander... Stirring and gorgeously rendered, this eco-conscious tale is a superb purchase for all libraries. * School Library Journal, starred review *

Winner of the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration, this poignant story, stunningly illustrated by Jeet Zdung, portrays the life of rescued sun bear Sorya and her rescuer, Chang. Set in a Vietnamese rainforest, it’s inspired by author Trang Nguyen’s real-life work as a conservationist.
The highly original, mixed-form approach to storytelling includes some wordless pages and Stem facts, all within an accessible graphic-novel format, offering broad appeal that makes it a terrific addition to KS2 reading corners.

Trang Nguyen is a Vietnamese wildlife conservationist, environmental activist and writer, known for tackling the illegal wildlife trade in Africa and Asia. She graduated with her PhD in Biodiversity Management at the University of Kent, England. In 2018, Trang was featured in the documentary film Stroop: Journey into the Rhino Horn War alongside Jane Goodall. She was selected for BBC’s 100 Women of 2019 list and for the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. Trang is the founder and executive director of WildAct, an NGO that monitors the illegal wildlife trade markets and provides conservation education programmes for Vietnamese youth. She is also a member of the IUCN SSC Bear Specialist Group, which promotes the conservation of bears living in their natural habitats around the world. Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is her first children’s book.

Trang has also given a TEDx talk about her struggle to become a conservationist.

Jeet Zdung is an illustrator who fuses traditional Vietnamese art with manga, using pencils, watercolours, ink and other digital means to create works of beauty and innovation. He has won several awards, including a Silent Manga Audition Excellence Award for his manga Stand Up and Fly. Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear is his first children’s book published in the UK. He lives in Hanoi, Vietnam.