An elderly zookeeper and a motley menagerie of “chatty” zoo creatures and courageous kids must outfox a greedy mayor eager to turn the zoo into an amusement park in the fast-paced new adventure, The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion.
Written with tweens and teens in mind, The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion blends sophisticated humor and fascinating facts to weave an entertaining tale that makes serious issues like animal rights and preservation understandable for young audiences.
Early reviews have been uproariously good, with a 10-year-old reader calling it, “One of the best books I have read,” and librarian Alice Kaplan commenting, “It will have broad appeal to both boys and girls … I had some good laughs in between holding my breath as the action accelerated.”
As the story begins, aging zookeeper Reggie Goodenough is lamenting the urban sprawl encroaching on the zoo’s perimeter. He dreams of more land and roomier habitats — better environments for the beloved animals in his care. Reggie is hopeful when newly elected Mayor Ralph Throttlebottom promises to do special things with the zoo, but what Reggie doesn’t realize is that Mayor Throttlebottom and his greedy cronies want to turn the zoo into an amusement park.
Will the rebellion of plucky kids and wildly intelligent animals find a way to save the day?
From the creative minds of award-winning writer and producer the late Larry Belling and co-author Art Twain, The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion deals with today’s important themes of animal rights and preservation — in an entertaining and humorous way, making it an engaging read for kids ages 8 to 14 and young-at-heart adults.
“We hope our book gives you a new appreciation of creatures, whether domesticated, in the wild, or in the zoos,” the authors wrote in their book. “After all, we’re related. We’re all animals.”
About the Authors
Larry Belling produced award-winning radio commercials for Hollywood movies and television, managed Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd record producers, and narrated documentaries for PBS, BBC and The Discovery Channel. His play, Stroke of Luck, starring Tim Pigott-Smith, was performed in London.
Art Twain, Larry Belling’s lifelong friend, has created over 3,000 radio and television commercials and helped take the Gap from one to 500 stores with his advertising and marketing efforts. He has won many awards, including Clios and an Emmy. He wrote and produced a popular 5-minutes-a-day radio series for school-aged kids and won the Marcus Foster Award from the City of Oakland for his work with school kids. In his teen years, he had a personal zoo in his garage with 26 different animals, including two alligators and an opossum.
A portion of all proceeds from sales of The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion will be donated to organizations dedicated to improving the lives of animals.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Zoo-Rebellion-Art-Twain/dp/B0CTNZYK87/
The Lincoln Zoo Rebellion
Publisher: Speaking Volumes
ISBN-13: 979-8890220363
Paperback: 230 pages
Available from Amazon.com, Ingram, Barnes & Noble and other fine online bookstores