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Popcorn Park Zoo: A Haven With a Heart
The author tells the heartwarming story of the Popcorn Park Zoo, the only federally licensed zoo in the country that caters to elderly, sick, abandoned, injured, handicapped, and unwanted animals. By the author of The Goonie War.
64 pages, Library Binding
First published June 1, 1992
About the author
Wendy Pfeffer
76 books27 followersWendy Pfeffer is an award winning author of many children’s books. A former teacher and nursery school director, Mrs. Pfeffer lives in Pennington, New Jersey. In addition to writing, she continues to teach writing and visit schools to share her work.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 4, 2017
Title: A Haven with a Heart, Popcorn Park Zoo
Author: Wendy Pfeffer
Photographs by: J. Gerard Smith
Genre: Photographic Essay
Themes: animals, zoos, animal welfare, cruelty, conservation
Opening Line: Welcome to the Popcorn Park Zoo. It’s an unusual zoo for unusual animals and the only one of its kind in the United States.
Summary: This book is about the Popcorn Park Zoo in New Jersey. It is an animal shelter for animals ranging from domestic rabbits to elephants. The zoo talks about animal and cruelty and promotes conservation and animal welfare. The book is targeted for third and fourth graders.
Professional Review 1:
CLCD- Karen Hutt (Booklist, June 1, 1992 (Vol. 88, No. 19))
http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
“Smith's exceptionally clear, colorful photos show the animals in new homes created to accommodate each resident's special needs. Although some readers may be troubled by the abuse many of these animals have suffered, they'll be heartened by the zoo's dedication and success.”
Professional Review 2:
CLCD- Mark S. Rich (Science Books and Films (Vol. 28, No. 7))
http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
“The Popcorn Park Zoo fulfills a need for humane animal care, especially exotic animals that are victims of human cruelty and are unsuitable for introduction into an accredited mainstream zoo.”
Response to Reviews: I agree with these reviews. I think the photos make the book engaging and also adds to the text to make it more meaningful. It can be a difficult topic to discuss with children but it is written in a way that is both educational but light hearted.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This is a really great book to introduce children to the topic of animal welfare. The writing style is easy for children to comprehend but is also very educational. The author includes excellent explanations of the animals and their situations and also includes a useful list of recommended readings to conclude the book. I feel that the book is very balanced in that it touches on animal cruelty but it also includes light hearted information about the animals living at the zoo.
Instructional Application: Animal welfare is a topic that is often not addressed in schools. I feel that teaching this book to children would be a great way to introduce the topic and to learn about welfare and also animal shelters. As an activity students can work in groups and research to compare and contrast animal shelters vs zoos. Students could then do a class wide project and collect donations for a local animal shelter.
Author: Wendy Pfeffer
Photographs by: J. Gerard Smith
Genre: Photographic Essay
Themes: animals, zoos, animal welfare, cruelty, conservation
Opening Line: Welcome to the Popcorn Park Zoo. It’s an unusual zoo for unusual animals and the only one of its kind in the United States.
Summary: This book is about the Popcorn Park Zoo in New Jersey. It is an animal shelter for animals ranging from domestic rabbits to elephants. The zoo talks about animal and cruelty and promotes conservation and animal welfare. The book is targeted for third and fourth graders.
Professional Review 1:
CLCD- Karen Hutt (Booklist, June 1, 1992 (Vol. 88, No. 19))
http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
“Smith's exceptionally clear, colorful photos show the animals in new homes created to accommodate each resident's special needs. Although some readers may be troubled by the abuse many of these animals have suffered, they'll be heartened by the zoo's dedication and success.”
Professional Review 2:
CLCD- Mark S. Rich (Science Books and Films (Vol. 28, No. 7))
http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...
“The Popcorn Park Zoo fulfills a need for humane animal care, especially exotic animals that are victims of human cruelty and are unsuitable for introduction into an accredited mainstream zoo.”
Response to Reviews: I agree with these reviews. I think the photos make the book engaging and also adds to the text to make it more meaningful. It can be a difficult topic to discuss with children but it is written in a way that is both educational but light hearted.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This is a really great book to introduce children to the topic of animal welfare. The writing style is easy for children to comprehend but is also very educational. The author includes excellent explanations of the animals and their situations and also includes a useful list of recommended readings to conclude the book. I feel that the book is very balanced in that it touches on animal cruelty but it also includes light hearted information about the animals living at the zoo.
Instructional Application: Animal welfare is a topic that is often not addressed in schools. I feel that teaching this book to children would be a great way to introduce the topic and to learn about welfare and also animal shelters. As an activity students can work in groups and research to compare and contrast animal shelters vs zoos. Students could then do a class wide project and collect donations for a local animal shelter.
Displaying 1 of 1 review