8. The Midnight Zoo

Set during World War II, this is a story of three siblings surviving the conflict. After their relatives are arrested, 12-year-old Andrej and nine-year-old Tomas flee with their infant sister and make their way to a bombed-out town with an intact zoo. Once inside, the animals begin speaking and sharing their experiences; the boys meets a mischievous monkey, a lioness that has lost its family, and a seal taken from its mother as a pup. The children and animals spend the night sharing their stories, offering a unique take on war and the oftentimes needless struggles humans endure. As an astute bear observes, “You are a mysterious animal, you know. A bear does what a bear must do to keep itself alive. But a man does many things that he has no need to do.” This story will appeal to students who are interested in magical realism (although they might not know what it's called) and provide a good way for teachers to introduce that subject as well as allegory and other literary devices, while also learning about the war.