Animal Crackers
By Scott Christian Sava
ISBN: 9781626729353
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
It was supposed to an exciting, yet normal trip to the circus.
Dangerous stunts, flying acrobats, and even the clowns Uncle Doug hated so much—Owen is itching to see all of it. But when his little sister Zoe, a self-proclaimed animal whisperer, accuses the ringmaster of mistreating the circus animals, the last thing Owen has time to do is to watch the show! With the help of some magical animal crackers that can transform him into a bear, a hippo, or even a hamster, Owen sets out to rescue his kidnapped uncle and sister from the hands of the scheming ringmaster and his circus lackeys. (Goodreads)
Review:
Animal Crackers by Scott Christian Sava and illustrated by Alison Acton is a fun read.
Owen, Zoe and their uncle Doug go to the circus. Owen, being 10-years old, wants to get under the big top to watch the show. Meanwhile, Zoe being 6-years old is stopping at each cage to talk to every animal. Owen gets a bit frustrated at the delays but has little choice but to wait. Zoe’s speaking to the animals catches the interest of the evil ringmaster, who decides that he must have Zoe in his show as she appears to have a great skill in communicating with the animals. What ensues is a kidnapping, a hilarious rescue attempt or two (as a result of some magical animal crackers and Owen).
I found the graphics were really good. The story was cute with a bit of action (and magic) for both Owen and Zoe. And some personal growth for Uncle Doug as well! The gypsy character added just that touch I felt was needed to really believe the reader was at the circus.
I think this tale will be a hit with the younger crowd, especially kids with a fondness for animals and/or circus clowns.
