Book Review: Jamrach's Menagerie

Nineteenth Century London with Poverty, Adventure and Wild Animals

Jaffy Brown is a boy that lives in poverty and squalor without much to hope for to change his situation until a close encounter with a tiger on a crowded street in London. It turns out that a tiger escaped his cage and Jaffy pets it in wonder and survives to tell the tale. So begins a tale that has Jaffy meeting the famous Mr. Jamrach, an importer of exotic animals.

Jaffy ends up running errands and working for Mr. Jamrach which opens up a world of possibilities for him that change the course of his entire life. He learns to read and write, makes new friends and a circle of support, and eventually sets forth on an three year adventure at sea to find a dragon to bring back to England during a whaling expedition to the West Indies.

The story is so much more than adventure and exotic creatures and locations. While Jaffy learns about life beyond England he also is challenged with hard work as well as a struggle to survive. Friendships and love is tested throughout.

Highly recommend!