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The Star Zoo
A level 3 Oxford Bookworms Library graded readers. Written for Learners of English by Harry Gilbert
In our world today a hummingbird is a small, brilliantly coloured bird that lives in the tall trees of tropical forests.
In the far distant future, Hummingbird (Hummy for short) is a girl of sixteen who lives somewhere in the Galaxy, on a planet called Just Like Home. She has the name ‘Hummingbird’ in big letters on all her clothes, but she has never seen a real hummingbird. She has never seen any living animal or bird at all. The Book of Remembering says that there were once many animals on a planet called Earth, but that was before the Burning, a long, long time ago . . .
In our world today a hummingbird is a small, brilliantly coloured bird that lives in the tall trees of tropical forests.
In the far distant future, Hummingbird (Hummy for short) is a girl of sixteen who lives somewhere in the Galaxy, on a planet called Just Like Home. She has the name ‘Hummingbird’ in big letters on all her clothes, but she has never seen a real hummingbird. She has never seen any living animal or bird at all. The Book of Remembering says that there were once many animals on a planet called Earth, but that was before the Burning, a long, long time ago . . .
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1993
23 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 24, 2015
1. Oxford level 3
2. 6/18 = 20, 6/19=50min, 6/23=20min, 6/24=20min
3. future, galaxy, human, the earth, escape, marriage, animals
4. A) The earth was ruined 20,000 years ago. Then humans had escaped from the earth and several thousand years passed, humans believed only a human lives on the planet where a human had escaped. Also, It was believed that there were not other creatures except the people in the space.
B) This time, I like the whole of the story!haha therefore I cannot choose one part of the story.
5. This book is the book that Kosuke Kamiya recommended to me. I like the story very much because I like Sci-Fi stories!! And I'm a little bit afraid of animals, too.
2. 6/18 = 20, 6/19=50min, 6/23=20min, 6/24=20min
3. future, galaxy, human, the earth, escape, marriage, animals
4. A) The earth was ruined 20,000 years ago. Then humans had escaped from the earth and several thousand years passed, humans believed only a human lives on the planet where a human had escaped. Also, It was believed that there were not other creatures except the people in the space.
B) This time, I like the whole of the story!haha therefore I cannot choose one part of the story.
5. This book is the book that Kosuke Kamiya recommended to me. I like the story very much because I like Sci-Fi stories!! And I'm a little bit afraid of animals, too.
June 12, 2024
Good stuff
January 19, 2015
This story is about a young girl name humming bird . She is a girl who interested in an animal , but the
thing is an animal is extinct because of a human, earth get hotter because a pollution and animal cannot leave there
Anymore. The only thing that can tell a story of all of this is a book of remembering . One day humming birth went out to a space and she saw something that look like a space ship but it made of a plastic, but that is not a point, a point os what is inside. Inside that space ship is a tree and an animal and after she saw it she is insane and trying to kill all of them , but after she is insane she faint and fell a sleep. When she woke up an animal give a sign that she should follow them and after she follow an animal she saw a huge old computer. And after that she came back to an second earth and she told this story to a star council(kind of president) and she have an electronic animal that her robot made it, then the star council get insane and destroy that animal robot. After that humming bird got a new job to teach a little kid about an animal because nobody haven't thought them about a book of remmembering...... And thats the end of a story.
thing is an animal is extinct because of a human, earth get hotter because a pollution and animal cannot leave there
Anymore. The only thing that can tell a story of all of this is a book of remembering . One day humming birth went out to a space and she saw something that look like a space ship but it made of a plastic, but that is not a point, a point os what is inside. Inside that space ship is a tree and an animal and after she saw it she is insane and trying to kill all of them , but after she is insane she faint and fell a sleep. When she woke up an animal give a sign that she should follow them and after she follow an animal she saw a huge old computer. And after that she came back to an second earth and she told this story to a star council(kind of president) and she have an electronic animal that her robot made it, then the star council get insane and destroy that animal robot. After that humming bird got a new job to teach a little kid about an animal because nobody haven't thought them about a book of remmembering...... And thats the end of a story.
December 13, 2017
1. Oxford, Stage 3
2. Dec 13→80 minutes
3. marry, star, zoo, spaceship, robot, book, run
4a. In the period that most of anmals disappeared in the earth, there was Hummy. This period had a rule that young women should marry an older man. But, Hummy did not want to marry, ran away from the earth. Then, she found a spaceship "star zoo". In this spaceship, she found animals which disappeared in the earth.
4b. I tried to read a Stage 3 book, it was a little long for me, but the content was interesting, I could concentrate to read. It had lots of contents, I worried that it was difficult to understand, but I enjoyed. I could not finish reading it, so after school, I want to continue to read.
5. The author wrote fiction story, but I felt it had realness. In the future, many people would go to space easily. If it realizes, I thought it may realize such this story. So, I thought the author did not fiction story. He might write near future story, I thought.
2. Dec 13→80 minutes
3. marry, star, zoo, spaceship, robot, book, run
4a. In the period that most of anmals disappeared in the earth, there was Hummy. This period had a rule that young women should marry an older man. But, Hummy did not want to marry, ran away from the earth. Then, she found a spaceship "star zoo". In this spaceship, she found animals which disappeared in the earth.
4b. I tried to read a Stage 3 book, it was a little long for me, but the content was interesting, I could concentrate to read. It had lots of contents, I worried that it was difficult to understand, but I enjoyed. I could not finish reading it, so after school, I want to continue to read.
5. The author wrote fiction story, but I felt it had realness. In the future, many people would go to space easily. If it realizes, I thought it may realize such this story. So, I thought the author did not fiction story. He might write near future story, I thought.
January 12, 2020
What a great little book. As a literacy tutor, I've been relying on these wonderful Oxford Press editions for several of my students who aren't natural readers. Picked this one up from my local library yesterday and had a quick read through. The premise is a future where humans have moved house - Earth was vacated after the "great burning" (timely!?!) - and populate a planet bereft of all animals. Our heroine, named Hummingbird, discovers an ark in space -the titular Star Zoo. To say more would be to spoil the story. A short but interesting book, I'm looking forward to reading it with a student who loves fantasy and sci fi. Neat!
April 4, 2023
przeczytałam kilka zdań opisu i od razu chciało mi się ją czytać! Historia opowiada o dziewczynie która mieszka na jednej z wielu planet i podczas jakiś ich rytuałów ktoś proponuje jej małżeństwo. Okazuje się, że w ten dzień, gdy jest odbywany rytuał nie wolno odmawiać małżeństwa drugiej osoby. Nikt siebie nie widzi, ponieważ są oni ubrani na czarno i maja tylko dziurki na oczy. Co się dzieje dalej i co znajduję dziewczyna? Jest to powiedziane po tym, gdy uciekła skądś. W skrócie cudna książka, krótka, zwięzła, ale zakończenie mnie zmiotło, chce wiedzieć co jest dalej!
November 13, 2019
Truyện kể về 1 hành tinh trong dài ngân hà, nơi mà trong đó chỉ có con người sống và không có động vật. Động vật chỉ được nhắc tới trong sách ở một hành tinh có tên là trái đất, nhưng bởi vì con người ở đó làm ô nhiễm nên không còn gì cả.
June 15, 2019
Oh my god.. Such an interesting and kind of a scary idea.
February 13, 2020
This book starts out a little confusing, but many of my high school ESL students were interested in this sci-fi book. There are definitely good discussion points.
May 16, 2020
Interesting
November 10, 2021
so easy as it considers stage 3.
July 20, 2022
Climate change
Human abandoned the earth
Human who destroyed the earth by polluting
Human abandoned the earth
Human who destroyed the earth by polluting
January 13, 2014
@Publisher: OXFORD BOOKWORMS
@Time of reading
12/24 80 min
@7 word summary
polluted earth die human away animals left
@Discussion question
Do you want to live in other planets?
@My answer
No, I don't. because I am a human in the Earth. I know only how to live in the Earth. however, If i have to live in other planets. i will just obey and follow. i believe that we could live in other planets, but i will be satisfied only that the fact is proved. we should care our own planet at first.
@What I think about the book.
this book is SF story, so it is beyond common sense. that is the reason why i don't know if i understand this book or not exactly. it was hard for me to imagine. anyway, story was interesting. everyday we see and touch animals, but in this book, the animals became a legend because they run away from the Earth since 20 thousands years ago. we have a possibility to be like this book, so it made me think about environment of the Earth.
@Time of reading
12/24 80 min
@7 word summary
polluted earth die human away animals left
@Discussion question
Do you want to live in other planets?
@My answer
No, I don't. because I am a human in the Earth. I know only how to live in the Earth. however, If i have to live in other planets. i will just obey and follow. i believe that we could live in other planets, but i will be satisfied only that the fact is proved. we should care our own planet at first.
@What I think about the book.
this book is SF story, so it is beyond common sense. that is the reason why i don't know if i understand this book or not exactly. it was hard for me to imagine. anyway, story was interesting. everyday we see and touch animals, but in this book, the animals became a legend because they run away from the Earth since 20 thousands years ago. we have a possibility to be like this book, so it made me think about environment of the Earth.
November 4, 2015
1. Oxford level 3
2. 10/29-15min. 11/3-20min. 11/4-70m
3. Hummingbird, parents, marriage, Baff, robot, being crazy, animals
4. This book was great!! I was so happy to be able to read level3. The words got difficult but I could understand. I love this story because I could imagine reality of distant future.
5. My friends had read it. So I wanted to read it. The front picture of this book is a cat with blue eyes and they are a view of the space. I like it and I thought why it's cat. I was so looking forward to appearing the cat while I was reading. I cannot spoil but I could understand why it is a cat.
I wondered why people are empty and lonely in this book. But people are probably bored to be alive because they need not to work. In stead of robots work and take care about everything. Such a world makes people bored easily. I don't want to such a future. This story made me think about a lot of things.
2. 10/29-15min. 11/3-20min. 11/4-70m
3. Hummingbird, parents, marriage, Baff, robot, being crazy, animals
4. This book was great!! I was so happy to be able to read level3. The words got difficult but I could understand. I love this story because I could imagine reality of distant future.
5. My friends had read it. So I wanted to read it. The front picture of this book is a cat with blue eyes and they are a view of the space. I like it and I thought why it's cat. I was so looking forward to appearing the cat while I was reading. I cannot spoil but I could understand why it is a cat.
I wondered why people are empty and lonely in this book. But people are probably bored to be alive because they need not to work. In stead of robots work and take care about everything. Such a world makes people bored easily. I don't want to such a future. This story made me think about a lot of things.
May 22, 2013
1 OXFORD level3
2 80min
3 pollute
people
earth
animals
marry
children
star
4 Oh,how durty river is! I know people have polluted earth for a long time. What should we do to protect nature? - It is necessary for every citizns in earth to have interest in invironmental polution. There are many people who have less interest about it.
5 In this story, there were no animal and no plants because people killed all. A gile who reached an star island there are still alived animals! The story is so real. If we couldn't live earth and there were no animals, maybe we would spend life like this story. I like animals so I can't understand the story's people were afride of animals. I think it is important for us to live with animal and nature. Through this story I come to think about invironmental polution more and more.
2 80min
3 pollute
people
earth
animals
marry
children
star
4 Oh,how durty river is! I know people have polluted earth for a long time. What should we do to protect nature? - It is necessary for every citizns in earth to have interest in invironmental polution. There are many people who have less interest about it.
5 In this story, there were no animal and no plants because people killed all. A gile who reached an star island there are still alived animals! The story is so real. If we couldn't live earth and there were no animals, maybe we would spend life like this story. I like animals so I can't understand the story's people were afride of animals. I think it is important for us to live with animal and nature. Through this story I come to think about invironmental polution more and more.
October 1, 2014
1.Oxford level3
2.10/1=150min
3.future animals extinct space-zoo animals live
4.So I kissed the computer and I think it kissed me.
This computer can love human. So she felt it kissed her. It was nice!
5.This is a story about the world which lost animals. There are only human. But Hummy found a space ship which has a lot of animals in it. She tried to let animals live on some planets, but it failed. People didn't know animals, so they shocked and be crazy. But at last, she found children didn't afraid of them. So she think animals can live on planet in their generation. This is a science fiction, and I really like it. Discovering something in space is very exciting. And I like this ending.
2.10/1=150min
3.future animals extinct space-zoo animals live
4.So I kissed the computer and I think it kissed me.
This computer can love human. So she felt it kissed her. It was nice!
5.This is a story about the world which lost animals. There are only human. But Hummy found a space ship which has a lot of animals in it. She tried to let animals live on some planets, but it failed. People didn't know animals, so they shocked and be crazy. But at last, she found children didn't afraid of them. So she think animals can live on planet in their generation. This is a science fiction, and I really like it. Discovering something in space is very exciting. And I like this ending.
May 6, 2013
-OXFORD,Level 3
-Time 5/2=20minutes 5/3=20minutes 5/4=15minutes 5/6=10minutes
-7-word summary:Human-Earth-fire-monsters-spaceship-Galaxy-tree
-Discussion question
Q:In this story, people cannot live the Earth because people pollute and kill all animals. How can we protect the Earth from pollution?
A:I think that people should have responsibility. If we could do that, we would not dump garbage to nature, such as forest.
After I read this book, I could understand the importance of nature. I think that this book shows our Earth in the future. Therefore, we should protect the Earth for our lives.
-Time 5/2=20minutes 5/3=20minutes 5/4=15minutes 5/6=10minutes
-7-word summary:Human-Earth-fire-monsters-spaceship-Galaxy-tree
-Discussion question
Q:In this story, people cannot live the Earth because people pollute and kill all animals. How can we protect the Earth from pollution?
A:I think that people should have responsibility. If we could do that, we would not dump garbage to nature, such as forest.
After I read this book, I could understand the importance of nature. I think that this book shows our Earth in the future. Therefore, we should protect the Earth for our lives.
June 5, 2013
1.Penguin Readers
level3
fantasy
2.60minutes(May 18)
20minutes(May 22)
3.human - planet - marry - run away - spaceship - monster - animal
4.Why other animals doesn't exist at the planet?
-Human destroy the nature, so other animals can't exist.
5.The story is a fantasy, but if we keep destroying the nature, other animals can't live.
We should think about our future seriously.
2.40 minutes (May 26)
40 minutes (May 29)
3.back-man-take-kill-crazy-robot-children
4.What do you do when you see an animal that you have never seen?
-I stare it and take a picture.
5.The ending is very different from what I have expected. I want the author to write continuation of this story.
level3
fantasy
2.60minutes(May 18)
20minutes(May 22)
3.human - planet - marry - run away - spaceship - monster - animal
4.Why other animals doesn't exist at the planet?
-Human destroy the nature, so other animals can't exist.
5.The story is a fantasy, but if we keep destroying the nature, other animals can't live.
We should think about our future seriously.
2.40 minutes (May 26)
40 minutes (May 29)
3.back-man-take-kill-crazy-robot-children
4.What do you do when you see an animal that you have never seen?
-I stare it and take a picture.
5.The ending is very different from what I have expected. I want the author to write continuation of this story.
October 16, 2013
-OXFORD,Level 3
-Time: 100 minuets
-7-word summary: Human-Earth-fire-monsters-spaceship-Galaxy-tree
-Discussion question
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets?
→I like animals but I don't have one. When I was a small kid, I asked my parents to have a dog but they refuse my proposal even I made kind of report that shows how I can treat it and how I can be responsible about it. I was very sad at that time. Now I can understand my parents opinion though. :)
I thought it is just a SF story at first. However this story made me feel how important to think about affection to animals by humans action. We can't be just selfish. We need animals.
-Time: 100 minuets
-7-word summary: Human-Earth-fire-monsters-spaceship-Galaxy-tree
-Discussion question
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets?
→I like animals but I don't have one. When I was a small kid, I asked my parents to have a dog but they refuse my proposal even I made kind of report that shows how I can treat it and how I can be responsible about it. I was very sad at that time. Now I can understand my parents opinion though. :)
I thought it is just a SF story at first. However this story made me feel how important to think about affection to animals by humans action. We can't be just selfish. We need animals.
November 27, 2014
The Star Zoo(Oxford Level. 3)
11/25=90 minutes
Animal, galaxy, robot, monsters, spaceship, council, Book of Remembering
" this is a baby cat. I can't remember what the computer called it. Oh yes I do - it's called a kitten. "
This is a story in the faraway future. On the future earth, there are no animals, and people think animals are imaginary or mythical. I can't imagine such a world , but actually, the number of animals is getting smaller and smaller because of some environmental problems. Someday it may happen as the same accident as in this story. It was not written about reasons of the extinction of animals, but it is a kind of warning to us, I think.
11/25=90 minutes
Animal, galaxy, robot, monsters, spaceship, council, Book of Remembering
" this is a baby cat. I can't remember what the computer called it. Oh yes I do - it's called a kitten. "
This is a story in the faraway future. On the future earth, there are no animals, and people think animals are imaginary or mythical. I can't imagine such a world , but actually, the number of animals is getting smaller and smaller because of some environmental problems. Someday it may happen as the same accident as in this story. It was not written about reasons of the extinction of animals, but it is a kind of warning to us, I think.
October 29, 2014
1.oxford level3
2.10/27 30min 10/28 20min 10/29 30min
3.future animals zoo believe robot planet children
4.a【Hummy is a girl who lives on a planet called just like home. There are no animals and plants, only people live.
But one day, Hummy finds an another planet. A lot of animals live there, so she tells that people who live in just like home. But people don't believe that.
b【You can see the animal again soon.】
5.I can't imagine the world which is no animals and plants. When people see animals, they go crazy. It was very interesting for me!
2.10/27 30min 10/28 20min 10/29 30min
3.future animals zoo believe robot planet children
4.a【Hummy is a girl who lives on a planet called just like home. There are no animals and plants, only people live.
But one day, Hummy finds an another planet. A lot of animals live there, so she tells that people who live in just like home. But people don't believe that.
b【You can see the animal again soon.】
5.I can't imagine the world which is no animals and plants. When people see animals, they go crazy. It was very interesting for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2015
1. Oxford&Level3
2. 05/08=30minutes, 05/11=30minutes,05/12=20minutes, 05/13=20minutes
3. girl, hummy, strange, Remembering Night, spaceship, Galaxy, monster
4. a I don't like "the clothes must have the name of our name-animal on them."
b Because it is very strange, and I couldn't understand this world.
5. I thought this story is strange. People have name-animal, but they haven't seen animals. Women must marry any man who asks them. This book was written about the world in the future, we shouldn't cut trees and decrease our nature.
2. 05/08=30minutes, 05/11=30minutes,05/12=20minutes, 05/13=20minutes
3. girl, hummy, strange, Remembering Night, spaceship, Galaxy, monster
4. a I don't like "the clothes must have the name of our name-animal on them."
b Because it is very strange, and I couldn't understand this world.
5. I thought this story is strange. People have name-animal, but they haven't seen animals. Women must marry any man who asks them. This book was written about the world in the future, we shouldn't cut trees and decrease our nature.
May 21, 2015
1-oxford&level3
2-5/16→10min,5/19→10min,5/20→60min
3-animal,future,planet,galaxy,girl,hummy,robot
4-a "This isn't a human, I extlained. This is
just a family robot.
b. it's a future world. There are no animal.
5-After I read this book, I was a little confused. The world in this book is a little strange. This is written about our world in far future. Main character is a girl of sixteen who lives somewhere in Gayaxy. In her world, there are no animal and peole believe it. However, it is not fact. I think this story has a message for us.
2-5/16→10min,5/19→10min,5/20→60min
3-animal,future,planet,galaxy,girl,hummy,robot
4-a "This isn't a human, I extlained. This is
just a family robot.
b. it's a future world. There are no animal.
5-After I read this book, I was a little confused. The world in this book is a little strange. This is written about our world in far future. Main character is a girl of sixteen who lives somewhere in Gayaxy. In her world, there are no animal and peole believe it. However, it is not fact. I think this story has a message for us.
July 8, 2015
1. Oxford level 3
2. 7/6=60, 7/7=20, 7/8=30
3. girl, marriage, zoo, human, spaceship, robot, animal
4. a. One day Hoo-Woo came with Hee-Haw. Hee-Haw carried me through the trees and the three of us travelled a long way.
b. I thought that this is very interesting passage! The name of the main character is Hummingbird. She has never seen any animals, so she called each animals with a cry of them.
5. I can't imagine the world without animals and plants. I thought that I have to think about the influence on animals and plants. This book was really interesting!!
2. 7/6=60, 7/7=20, 7/8=30
3. girl, marriage, zoo, human, spaceship, robot, animal
4. a. One day Hoo-Woo came with Hee-Haw. Hee-Haw carried me through the trees and the three of us travelled a long way.
b. I thought that this is very interesting passage! The name of the main character is Hummingbird. She has never seen any animals, so she called each animals with a cry of them.
5. I can't imagine the world without animals and plants. I thought that I have to think about the influence on animals and plants. This book was really interesting!!
November 18, 2012
- Oxford level 3
- Time 11/15 40 minutes 11/18 25 minutes
- 7 word summary Hummy-girl-meet-animal-other-planet-future
Discussion question
1. Have you ever frightened any animals?
A. Yes. When I was child, I am afraid of dogs. Dogs often bark.
2. Have you ever consider pollution?
A. Yes. Pollution is bad for all creatures.
I think that this book is very interesting.
- Time 11/15 40 minutes 11/18 25 minutes
- 7 word summary Hummy-girl-meet-animal-other-planet-future
Discussion question
1. Have you ever frightened any animals?
A. Yes. When I was child, I am afraid of dogs. Dogs often bark.
2. Have you ever consider pollution?
A. Yes. Pollution is bad for all creatures.
I think that this book is very interesting.
Read
July 9, 2013Oxford Bookworms Library level 3
7/6 =15min 7/7= 15min 7/8=30min
marriage -escape -spaceship - monster -computer - story - zoo
Have you ever been dreaming of going to
space?
Yes.I want to go to space someday.
I like this book because I like the story related to space.
7/6 =15min 7/7= 15min 7/8=30min
marriage -escape -spaceship - monster -computer - story - zoo
Have you ever been dreaming of going to
space?
Yes.I want to go to space someday.
I like this book because I like the story related to space.
January 4, 2014
I am guilty for choosing a book for it's cover. Nonetheless, a quick, enjoyable little read, and it got me thinking about where our world is headed.
Read
October 17, 2013Loooooooooooooooong time ago. Like when I was 6 or 7.
February 12, 2015
I WENT READ
Read
September 7, 2016i am interested about this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews