The Backyard Animal Show
by Sharon Draper
When construction begins on an apartment complex it destroys the habitat of many local creatures. The Black Dinosaurs find themselves involved when they witness the death of a mother deer and are determined to help her orphaned fawn.
I grew up in deer country, so the whole premise of finding a baby deer in need and giving it shelter was a little odd for me. Especially the part where the construction workers promise to bury the mother deer. While I can’t say I approve of bringing home wild animals to raise, it’s clear that Ziggy’s mother was with me on this and she insists the boys bring the deer to a local wildlife refuge as soon as it is old enough.
Of course, this leaves just enough time for the boys to concoct a completely harebrained scheme to host an animal show in Ziggy’s backyard. They’ll get a chance to show off their deer and let their friends show off their own pets while raising money for the wildlife refuge. I can definitely stand behind raising money for a good cause and really admired the entrepreneurial spirit the boys showed. And readers of any age will start shaking their heads when they hear the combination of animals invited to the show. It would be a miracle if it went off without a hitch!
Did I miss Draper’s history lessons in this one? Sure, but kids so often love to read about animals, so I think many will enjoy this book.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Ziggy tells the fawn he’ll need to find a girl deer to marry.
Profanity – None.
Death, Violence and Gore – A female deer is killed.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – None.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.
