The Midnight Zoo facts for kids
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| Author | Sonya Hartnett |
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| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Juvenile fantasy |
| Publisher | Viking Penguin |
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Publication date
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1 November 2010 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 186 |
| Awards | Carnegie Medal (shortlisted) |
| ISBN | 9781406331493 |
| OCLC | 692664057 |
| A823.3 | |
| LC Class | PR9619.3.H3345 M53 2010 |
The Midnight Zoo is a fantasy novel written by Sonya Hartnett. It was first released in Australia on November 1, 2010. A year later, it was published in the United States.
The story follows two young gypsy boys. They find an abandoned zoo after running away from a traditional celebration. The book has been praised for its beautiful writing style. People also liked the illustrations in the United States version, which were created by Andrea Offermann.
What the Story is About
The story begins at midnight in a village in Europe. This village has been destroyed by war. Two young boys are walking through the moonlight. One of them is carrying a baby in his backpack.
The boys have been traveling for many weeks. They have been trying to survive in a place where there are not many people or much food. Their family was tragically lost because of the war about two months earlier.
They discover a small, sad zoo that has somehow survived the war. The war had badly damaged the rest of the village. The most amazing thing is that all the animals in the zoo can talk to the boys.
During just one night, the animals share their stories. The boys also learn about the zoo itself and its most recent zookeepers. The book tells the story in a special way. It shows glimpses of the boys' journey and their time at the zoo.
The main idea of the story is about surviving during a war. However, it also has deeper meanings. These meanings help us understand why the zoo survived and why the story takes place at midnight.
Awards and Recognition
The Midnight Zoo has won several awards. In 2011, it won the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award for Older Readers.
It was also chosen as a finalist for the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2012. This is a very important award for children's books.
