This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Sierra Blasko for Readers' Favorite
Zoo by Ann Hunter is a short, 63-page story about Ari, an eleven-year-old, nonverbal autistic girl who can understand the animals at Braveland Zoo, the zoo she’s lived at with her younger brother, older sister, and her father ever since the death of her mother. Braveland Zoo is struggling, and very close to going under. To cut costs, they plan to transfer the tiger, Shagakhan, to a wildlife sanctuary, a distressing notion to our main character, who thinks “He’s not what he seems.” The story is told from a dual point of view, and the reader’s time is split between the heads of Ari and Shagrakhan. The book starts off with the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake (Also known as “Jerusalem,” or “Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright”) setting the tone of the story, and a black and white illustration of a tiger accompanies the poem.
As a person who, while autistic, is not nonverbal, it’s not my place to speak on how well Zoo by Ann Hunter represents nonverbal autistic folks. However, I can say that if there were more nuanced, sensitive, and compassionate portrayals of autism out there, the literary world would be a better place. I really connected with Ari, and I loved her strong bonds with her family. The story itself takes place in a unique setting (a struggling zoo under lockdown during a storm), and an engaging plot unfolds over the course of the book. The author took an interesting angle with Shagakhan’s motivations and Ari’s abilities, which intrigued me, and I liked the metaphors and poetic language used throughout the book. One of my favorite pieces of description was on page 21 when Ari was describing the way she experienced sound. There were also subtle descriptions of synesthesia, which were really cool to see! All in all, an enjoyable read; I look forward to reading more from Ann Hunter in the future.
