Unlike many adults, who tend to forget about their childhood dreams under the pressure of responsibilities and a need to live according the expectations of the society, Bryan Chick has never really forgotten about that wonderful feeling of childlike excitement during his frequent visits to the zoo. To understand, why he likes zoos to such an extent, let’s have a look at them from the perspective of a child. Numerous passages, exotic and extinct animals, sweets and – of course – areas only workers of the zoos have an access to. All these things used to make Bryan’s imagination run wild. Although he published his first book at the age of 36, the idea of it had been born in the head of a nine-year-old boy. Due to public’s recognition and his own commitment to the idea, Bryan Chick continues working on the series about the Secret Zoo.
The protagonist of the story, Noah, is a usual boy, who likes spending all his free time with his two best friends and play on their tree fort. In spite of the fact that the boy seems to be absolutely ordinary, he has something very important and valuable. It is his big heart. He loves his family dearly, not to mention that he is a perfect elder brother. His love for his sister helps him to overcome a lot of difficulties and is his source of strengths. After his sister’s disappearance, he sets up his mind to find her at any cost. Isn’t it evidence of love? If Megan and Noah are not an ideal example of brother and sister relationships, they are extremely close to it.
It is vital to have friends you can rely on and count on no matter what. Noah is extremely lucky to have two. Readers have already read about other golden trios, but they are still extremely popular, for the story, which portrays three absolutely different characters united by friendship could not be boring. It is absolutely true that Noah, Ella and Richie are different people, but this is what makes this story interesting! We, readers, have a chance to see, how they complement each other. Their inside jokes, friendly bickering and support they provide each other with fills the series with numerous funny and touchy moments. To understand how close they are, let’s take into consideration the fact that Noah doesn’t tell his parents about his suspicious, for he fears that they might not believe him; the boy tells his friends everything instead.
The Secret Zoo also covers extremely important topics such as protection of extinct animals. Unfortunately, this problem becomes more urgent with every year, so it is important to raise awareness of children, for they are representatives of the future generation. Young readers are going to learn that many inhabitants of modern zoos are at risk of extinction and that people’s neglectfulness is often the main cause of it. The story is not accusing, the harsh fact is presented in a mild way, without heart wrenching details, which might make children cry. Anyway, they get a message and understand that this danger exists. This story can easily interest not only young reader but their parents too, but could also be a great choice for a bedtime story.
