It's a Wild Life

June 15, 2014

In multiple short chapters, DeYoung shares his passion for animals, starting with his childhood when he traded his family's pet beagle for a monkey and going on to recount his creation of the private DeYoung Family Zoo, which opened to the public in 1988 and was featured on the National Geographic WILD show My Life Is a Zoo. DeYoung and his fiancee, Carrie Cramer, have worked hard to assemble and sustain their collection of native and exotic wildlife in Michigan's harsh Upper Peninsula. The author shares anecdotes about the animals, among them bears and a chimpanzee, many of which grew up in his family home. He describes how he established the zoo over the years, exhibit by exhibit, as money and time allowed, while he worked full time at other jobs to support his growing menagerie. Together DeYoung and Cramer share their knowledge of the creatures and conservation with visitors to the zoo, who can get close to many of the inhabitants. VERDICT Although the book's chronology jumps around a bit, the author's compelling story and down-to-earth style, along with his evident affection for his charges, will appeal to animal lovers and zoo goers.--Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL

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