A Home Away From Home

A Home Away from Home

True Stories of Wild Animal Sanctuaries

By (author): Nicholas Read
ISBN 9781772032192
Softcover | Publication Date: December 15, 2020
Book Dimensions: 8 in. x 10 in.
128 Pages

About the Book

—An informative book for middle-grade readers about sanctuaries across North America that rescue wild animals and provide them with safe places to live.

Years ago, most major cities in North America had zoos full of exotic or wild animals in tiny cages. It was also not uncommon for wild animals to be kept as pets or trained to perform in circuses. Today, we have a different way of looking at animals and deciding if and how they should be kept in captivity. There are still zoos and aquariums, of course, but the best ones are more concerned with protecting animals than putting them on display. There is also a different sort of organization—the animal sanctuary—which provides comfortable homes for animals that have been housed in unaccredited zoos or caught up in the illegal exotic-animal trade. Sanctuaries are never a substitute for the wild, but they are the next best thing.

A Home Away from Home tells the true stories of animals that live in sanctuaries across North America, from the tragic tale of Moby Doll, the first orca held in captivity in Vancouver, to the inspiring story of Thika, Toka, and Iringa, three elephants who travelled from a tiny zoo enclosure to a sprawling acreage in Sacramento, California. Often entertaining and sometimes sad, this book is an eye-opening read for children who care about the welfare of animals and want to know more about the organizations that help them.

About the Author(s)

Nicholas Read is a retired journalist who worked at the Vancouver Sun for most of his career, and a journalism instructor who taught at Langara College for ten years. He is the author (with photographer Ian McAllister) of several bestselling children’s books, including Wolf Island, The Seal Garden, A Whale’s World, The Great Bear Sea, and The Salmon Bears.

Reviews

“Young readers who love animals will enjoy learning about the role of sanctuaries in their rescue and care. A quality addition to nonfiction collections.”
School Library Journal
“A timely and important introduction to an essential idea—creating sanctuaries for amazing animals who need and deserve safer homes.”
—Mark Leiren-Young, award-winning author of Orcas Everywhere and Orcas of the Salish Sea, and host of the Skaana podcast
"A Home Away from Home: True Stories of Wild Animal Sanctuaries brings to our attention significant information that may not be widely known, but which should give pause for thought, and inspire discussion. Highly Recommended"
CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"Each chapter profiles an established sanctuary and the animals housed within it. Inserts provide in-depth information about species [...] a welcome stepping point for a call to action for ending the trade and abuse of wild animals."
BC Books for BC Schools
“If you care anything about animals you’ll love this book. Yes, there is sadness in it, but there is also hope, heroism, and some wonderful stories of some equally extraordinary creatures. The photos are great too.”
—Ian McAllister, Executive Director, Pacific Wild
A Home Away from Home not only contains a wealth of information in an accessible format but also powerfully educates young readers about the suffering of animals stolen from the wild for the pet trade, roadside zoos, circuses, or laboratories . . . An effective call to action for ending the trade and abuse of wildlife.”
—Isabelle Groc, award-winning conservation photographer, filmmaker, and author of Gone is Gone: Wildlife Under Threat and Sea Otters: A Survival Story