Take a delightful and unusual trip around the zoo as seen by Rory, a little mouse who has lost his owner. From the anteater to the penguin, all the animals try to help Rory find his owner but Rory’s descriptions of Sam are sometimes rather confusing!
Rory the pet mouse goes on a trip to Edinburgh Zoo in Sam's pocket. He leans out to get a better look and falls into the anteater's enclosure. How will wee Rory ever find Sam again in the enormous zoo?
'Have you seen Sam?' Rory asks, and tries to describe his owner. He tells the zebra Sam's got sticky-out sandy hair and gets sent to the lion! He tells the lion Sam's got big round eyes and gets sent to the owl! Rory meets lots of animals - a helpful anteater, a polite zebra, a grumpy lion, a hungry owl, a friendly rhino, the elegant flamingos and the blethering penguins, who take him along on their penguin parade. But will he ever find Sam?
This charming zoo story, full of wonderful animal characters, is beautifully illustrated by talented young artist, Joanne Nethercott.
Gill Arbuthnott lives in Edinburgh and has been a published author since 2003. She writes fiction and non-fiction and reckons that being a children's author is probably the best job in the world. Her recent books Dark Spell, Beneath and What Makes You You? have been shortlisted for major UK book awards. A former science teacher, she loves mixing scientific fact with wonderful anecdotes of people and places.
GILL ARBUTHNOTT Q&A:
What is the maddest thing you have ever done?
Nothing very mad… I went once to buy a black kitten and came back with a deaf, one-eyed white adult cat. (It wasn’t my fault though: he chose me.) Oh, and there was the time at the fun fair when I went on a roller coaster even though I knew I hated them. It felt like the longest two minutes of my life.
Which of the mad scientists would you have liked to meet and why?
Rita Levi-Montalcini. Not only did she do important work under very difficult conditions, she lived through amazing times. She alsohad great style in the way she dressed and looked, and she was a fabulous cook. What a woman!
Which discovery would you have liked to have made?
I’d love to have been part of the discovery of the structure of DNA (the chemical that controls most of what we are). It’s so beautiful, and it unlocked so many ideas in Biology. AND I would have to go to work with some incredible people. Maybe I’ll tell you about them in another book!
What do you think is the best discovery made by a scientist?
It’s not an important discovery, but it has made a lot of people very happy… The discovery of how to make chocolate so that it starts to melt at the temperature of the human mouth!
