Animal Races
by Jack Rotifer
AuthorHouse


"Racing is fun! You don't have to win to have fun."

Jingle, Jaywok, and Joi Daisy are a cute trio of Yorkies who enjoy visiting their alpaca friends, June and Joise, at their Aunt K's ranch. They are fascinated by all the different animals who live there, but they also become fascinated by the idea of racing. Eventually, they help encourage their human mom and dad to go on an expedition to see different animal races in various locations. In this way, they watch horses race in the Kentucky Derby, dogs compete in the Masters Agility Race at Westminster, pigs speed around a small track at a state fair, and homing pigeons cross great distances to reach a specific destination. They even attend races in Virginia City, Nevada, for camels, zebras, and ostriches. After getting their fill of these competitions, Jingle dreams about what kind of event they will see next, with rodeos being at the top of the list.

One of the most interesting things about this children's book is that it points out a variety of animal races and a few of their histories. The story goes into detail, for instance, about when the Kentucky Derby began and that there are three races to win the Triple Crown. It also describes what happens at the Masters Agility Race in Westminster and highlights how widespread piglet racing is at state fairs. Some young readers might know about those events, but they would certainly be surprised to learn about the camels, zebras, and ostriches racing in Virginia City, Nevada, which could spark their imagination about how various animals might do in a race against each other. With an extra touch of cuteness from the Yorkies, this story offers fun facts and is a memorable read.

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