Animal Place: Where Magical Things Happen

Imagine a place called Animal Place, where "farm" animals are taken care of -not eaten. Where kids can go and befriend real animals, and learn about what it's like for other animals on other farms who are not nearly so lucky, so loved, or so happy.

It's a real place, in Vacaville, CA, but it's also a storybook place, brought to life in this tale about two burger-loving children who visit their aunt and uncle at the animal refuge and who leave a little wiser, a little more compassionate, and for one of the youngsters, as a vegetarian.

Woven throughout the book are facts and feelings about the abuse of animals in our world, and how "it's our choices that make us brave."

One of the heroines of the story is Jesse,a courageous cow who jumped off a truck headed towards a slaughterhouse and came to live at Animal Place.

Sadly, there are only a handful of "Animal Places" in this world, but maybe after our children read about this one there will be more in the years to come.

While some may find the story a little "preachy" at times, it nevertheless offers a child's perspective and insights worthy of consideration. A glossary at the end explains some of the terms used in the book including: "chewing their cud", "factory farm", "protect", "refuge", "rescue", "vegetarian" and "veterinarian". It also tells about the real Animal Place, a nonprofit sanctuary for abused and unwanted farm animals, including pigs, goats, sheep, cattle, chickens, ducks and geese. The sanctuary was started and is run by author Kim Sturla and Nedim Buyukmihci, a university veterinary professor.

The charming illustrations are the work of Eric Sakach, who has been an investigator for a national animal protection organization since 1976.

The magic of this book is in the issues that it raises. For vegetarian children, this book may be like a visit to an old friend -while for children who have not yet made the connection, "Animal Place" could be a spark that lights the flame.

-Reviewed by Jennie 0. Collura