The Zoo at the Edge of the World: A Middle Grade Fantasy About a Boy Who Stutters and the Animal That Helps Him Find His Voice (Ages 8-12)

From the author of The Bully Book comes a timeless story about a young boy, his father, and the world that comes between them, which New York Times–bestselling author Peter Lerangis called "magical, mysterious, fresh, original, and full of heart."

Marlin is not slow, or mute; what he is is a stutterer, and that makes it impossible for him to convince people otherwise. What he is also is a Rackham: the younger son of the world-famous explorer Ronan Rackham, the owner and proprietor of the Zoo at the Edge of the World, a resort where the well-to-do from all over the globe can come to experience the last bit of the wild left at the end of the nineteenth century.

In order to impress a powerful duke who comes to visit the zoo, Marlin's father ventures into the jungle and brings back a mysterious black jaguar, the only one in captivity. Everyone is terrified of it, including Marlin—until one night, when the jaguar confers upon him a powerful gift. Soon, Marlin finds himself with a difficult choice to make and, finally, something to say. If only he can figure out how to say it.

• A Magical Gift of Talking to Animals: When a mysterious jaguar grants Marlin the ability to speak to animals, he can finally express himself—but this new voice comes with a dangerous secret.
• A Complicated Father-Son Story: Marlin longs for the approval of his larger-than-life father, the famous explorer Ronan Rackham, but discovering his father’s dark side will force him to choose between family and what’s right.
• An Unforgettable Historical Adventure: Step back to the late nineteenth century in a richly imagined zoo deep in the wilds of British Guiana, where wonder and danger lurk behind every corner.
• A Coming-of-Age Mystery: As Marlin uncovers the truth about the jaguar, the zoo, and his own family, he must find the courage to speak up and become the hero he never thought he could be.

Eric Kahn Gale is the author of The Bully Book, his first novel. He lives in Chicago.