The Midnight Zoo

Two gypsy boys are fleeing through a war-ravaged country-side during the night carrying a secret bundle. The boys stumble across a town that has been reduced to smoking rubble, and a zoo that is still intact. When the boys take shelter in the zoo, they discover a menagerie of talking animals. Both the boys and the animals tell their tales and speak of their desire for freedom.Like The Silver Donkey and The Ghost's Child, this is another beautifully fable-like tale that will move you to tears. It's a story that will appeal to all ages, that merges history with fantasy, adults will enjoy this as much as children.

"A magical story that questions what it means to be free. The first novel by Sonia Hartnett since winning the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Prize in 2006." -- The Guardian
"Two gypsy children who are trying to outrun a war find themselves seeking sanctuary in an abandoned zoo in a city that has been destroyed in battle. Richard Aspel captures the fear and uncertainty of the children on their own while not allowing these emotions to detract from the magical aspects of the story. And when the animals in the zoo begin talking to the children, Aspel’s talent especially shines, his versatile voice capturing the personality of each animal, particularly the strong, proud lioness. He brings them to life in his deep, slightly gravelly voice as they tell their stories. Their unique pitches and accents allow the listener to immediately identify each character, even as the lines of reality begin to blur." -- AudioFile Magazine

Sonya Hartnett is the internationally acclaimed author of several award-winning novels, including Of a Boy, which won The Age Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Her work has been published internationally with editions available in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway and Denmark.In 2008 Sonya was the recipient of The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The prize is awarded to authors, illustrators, narrators and promoters of reading whose work reflects the spirit of Astrid Lindgren. It is the first time this award has gone to an Australian.Sonya lives in Melbourne. She has a dog named Shilo and a cat named Marcus. Richard Aspel is a talented narrator of children's and adult audiobooks. He trained and worked in London, before returning to Australia where he has worked extensively in television, theatre and radio. His television credits include Neighbours and Carson's Law, and he provided various voices for The Silver Brumby animated series. Richard was nominated for the prestigious Audie Award (US) for his narration of The Mark of the Angel by Nancy Huston.

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