Wild summer reading

Warm weather and sunny days are just around the corner! This summer, revive a love for literature and connect with nature through a good book. With schools on summer break, this is a great time for kids (and adults) of all ages to relax, get outside, and read! 

The Foolish Tortoise, Giraffes Can’t Dance, and Beckett and the Panda-monium are just a few of the silly stories showcased on Zoo Atlanta’s Animal Tails page. Younger audiences can read along with our Zoo Crew as we delve into fantasy tales of animals whose real-life counterparts live right here at Zoo Atlanta! After exploring their fictional tales, head over to our Animals pages to learn about their real-life stories here at Zoo Atlanta. Then, continue the learning on Zoo Atlanta’s Animal Activities page with a fun arts and crafts project! 

If you’re looking for a great read for any age, check out Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan. This story is a fictional take on the real life of a shopping mall gorilla who came to live at Zoo Atlanta. After reading the imaginative tale, check out Ivan’s real-life story on Zoo Atlanta’s Animal Legends page. Hear from a member of his care team, Jodi Carrigan, about what it was like to take care of the real Ivan! You can also check out some of the other famous apes who came to live at Zoo Atlanta and find out more about how Zoo Atlanta is a leader in great ape care and conservation. 

Did you know that Zoo Atlanta had a hand in helping to map the Komodo dragon genome, or that the first awake cardiac ultrasound of an orangutan happened at Zoo Atlanta? Do you have a deep interest in research? For our older readers, explore the science behind many of our animals with Zoo Atlanta’s Research pages. Understanding animals helps us better care for them and protect their wild counterparts. Research at Zoo Atlanta is non-invasive, meaning it causes no harm to the animals. Zoo Atlanta has been part of over 300 research projects; their titles can be found here. 

Whether you are reading silly stories, fact-inspired literature or scientific publications, the long sunny days of summer are a great time to relax with a good read. After reading about the animals at Zoo Atlanta, perhaps take a hand in writing your own fact-inspired tale!