“Saving the Baghdad Zoo” is the true story of the efforts by American soldiers and zoologists working together to save the animals who once called the Baghdad Zoo their home. Destroyed by the war in Iraq, the animals at the Baghdad Zoo were left without cages, adequate shelters, food and water. With the help from American soldiers and zoologists from around the world, the animals were nurtured back to health and the zoo was opened as a symbol of hope.
I enjoyed reading this true story because it was informational and shared a different perspective on the war on Iraq. One of the most unique aspects of this book is the real photos taken by members of the team who worked to restore the zoo. For example, the pictures of Lumpy, a camel show the steps it took to get Lumpy back to the Baghdad Zoo and the poor health conditions he was in until the volunteers nurtured him back to health. Each photo has a short caption to explain who and what is happening in the picture, helping the reader understand the significance each photo holds. Additionally, aiding in the understanding of how the Baghdad Zoo was restored, the story is organized in chronological order and by animal type. First, the author writes about how they found the Baghdad Zoo in April of 2003—the “cages were empty, torn open and stripped bare, some animals had died from starvation, the scattered few that survived were fearsome.” After talking about the conditions in which they found the zoo, the author discusses the steps in which they took to restore the zoo. Each animal has their own individual page about the restoration process in the body of this true story. “Saving the Baghdad Zoo” ends with the zoo being reopened to the public on July 19, 2003 as “a sign of hope, a glimpse of normal life.” This book shows the significance of working together for a common goal and that something as simple as animals can be a sign of hope for a country destroyed by war. Overall, I enjoyed this informational, true story and would recommend it to students to read. ( )

I liked this book, because it reminded me of the cultural institutions that get shattered in war zone areas. Sometimes I can't tell if the animals actually had great living conditions prior to the bombing, but the story of people's efforts to save them and give them a better life is quite touching. I think kids would really enjoy this book, and it has sidebars so you could read as much or as little as you want. ( )

I liked this book, because it reminded me of the cultural institutions that get shattered in war zone areas. Sometimes I can't tell if the animals actually had great living conditions prior to the bombing, but the story of people's efforts to save them and give them a better life is quite touching. I think kids would really enjoy this book, and it has sidebars so you could read as much or as little as you want. ( )

Saving The Baghdad Zoo is an incredible book for kids who want to learn about the story of a place that has truly risen from the ashes. The book covers several species of animals, gives basic animal facts, and several stories of animals actually resident at the zoo are shared. A truly inspiring story! ( )

Saving the Baghdad Zoo is the story of Capt. William Sumner's experience as he and many others worked to save the zoo and its animals after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by U.S. military forces.

This book is informative, and contains many sidebars that cover specifics about certain species and stories of individual animals. The book is organized categorically by animal types with figurative titles that can engage a reader. Black Market Horses and Pelican Brief are a couple examples. The zoo recovery was obviously well-documented, any the photographs tell much of the story themselves. Bibliographical information and an index is included in the book, and both are well-organized.

It's certainly different to read about something positive coming from American involvement on the ground in Iraq since so much of what we see is negative. Sumner emphasized keeping the animals at the Baghdad Zoo even though certain foreign organizations opposed and this served as his central message; the Baghdad Zoo belongs to Baghdad and its people. ( )