Jeffrey P. Bonner

I bought this collection of essays by the St. Louis Zoo's President and CEO when we took the boys to the zoo earlier this summer. I love the St. Louis Zoo. I was lucky enough to grow up only a couple of hours away from this world-class zoo. My family would visit every summer, and when I lived in St. Louis, my husband and I visited often. Much has changed at the St. Louis Zoo since I was a kid, but I still love taking my boys to visit.

Given my love of the zoo, I really enjoyed reading these essays about the behind-the-scenes happenings at the Indianapolis and St. Louis Zoos. Bonner shares some scary tales of children falling into exhibits and animals escaping from exhibits. He shares stories that show the love that keepers have for their animals and that describe the complexity of caring for such a variety of animals. He also talks about the broader role that zoos play in breeding endangered species and engaging in conservation efforts. Bonner admits that writing isn't his favorite pasttime, but he is relatively good at telling a story and the stories that he has to tell are important ones. I recommend this book for anyone interested in animal welfare and conservation.… (meer)