The Midnight Club

by Jim Howes, Elise Hurst (Illustrator)

On certain nights, when the hands on the big old clock in the animal hospital approach midnight, something changes. The last chime of the big old clock echoes through the building. As the echo drifts away, the strangest thing begins to happen. On every door of every cage, the latch clicks open and the door swings free. Without a sound - because they have been waiting for it - each animal slips out of its cage and into the hallways. Along the corridors they go and down the stairs, the animals pad, creep and slither their way towards the back door. Without a sound, the animals gather outside for the meeting of The Midnight Club. None of them knows who will be tonight's storyteller. They only know that the stories they share are important. They have to be told... Will it be Dave the dog telling his brave story about being rescued as a very young puppy who was almost dead? Or will it be Cookie the Cockatoo telling about her lesson of the value of true friendship? Or will it be Sam the Snake's turn to share? The animals talk to each other in the common language of all animals and share their fantastic stories... The Lort Smith Animal Hospital has provided quality care to millions of animals over its 75 year history. Its vision is a world in which animals are respected and where the human-animal bond is understood and valued. Based in Melbourne, Australia, it was founded by Mrs Lort Smith who had a passion for lost, abandoned, mistreated, sick and injured animals. It is now the largest animal hospital in the southern hemisphere, with a staff of over 100 and a volunteer workforce exceeding 300. Together they tend to the needs of more than 80,000 animals a year. The hospital is a non-profit organisation which receives no government funding. It continues to provide care for animals belonging to people of limited means, promotes responsible pet ownership and fosters an awareness of animals and the benefits they bring. Proceeds from the sale of "The Midnight Club" wil

166 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kel Sta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Beth tells me I should read this book. Proceeds from the sale of the book go toward the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, based in Melbourne, and the book is actually based on the hospital and its patients. The cage doors open at midnight, and the animals gather outside. Each night, a different animal tells a story. Each story is about something that matters: home, friendship, trust, secrets and mystery, courage, purpose and understanding. Elise Hurst has illustrated the book beautifully, and there is one photo at the end to cement the connection to real life. I asked Emi what she would give the book out of 5, and she said 4 and a half.