The Therapeutic Zoo
GENRE
COMEDY DRAMA FAMILY LGBT YOUNG ADULT
Core Theme
COMING OF AGE, ANIMALS
TIME PERIOD
Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
WE BOUGHT A ZOO
CHARACTER LIST
PJ. 35-40. LEAD. SMART, STRONG, SOPHISTICATED, COMPETENT, BOLD, CHARMING, LOVING.
ALMA JANEK. 30-60'S. PJ'S MOTHER. LOVING, KIND, CARING.
WES MORGAN. 40'S. ASSISTANT AT THE RANCH. PJ'S LOVE INTEREST (1ST). CONFIDENT, EMPATHETIC, SMART, COMPETENT, FATHERLY.
JIM CZAPAWSKI. 40-50'S. ANIMAL EXPERT. PJ'S LOVE INTEREST (2ND). HONORABLE, CHARMING, RESPONSIBLE.
CATE DOMINIC. 15. FOSTER CHILD TAKEN IN BY PJ. STRONG PERSONALITY, OUTSPOKEN, GRATEFUL, ADVENTUROUS.
ALEX. 40'S. PRODUCER OF THE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE RANCH. TRUSTWORTHY, COMPETENT, LOVING, CARING.
Logline
The Therapeutic Zoo is the remarkable story of a foster care home which adopts a baby elephant, and thus begins a journey of discovery for the home administrator and the children in care. Other animals follow and the ranch becomes a private zoo filled with therapy animals.
Target Audiences
Age: 13-17,18-34,35-54,55+
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
El Paso, Texas
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: William Munns
Year Published: 2018
Starting Description
P.J.Janek struggles to manage a foster care home on a ranch, when a baby elephant is left at the gate. Seeing how the baby affects the children, she reluctantly agrees to keep the baby and let the children raise it. More animal donations follow, and her life is transformed beyond her wildest dream.
Ending Description
It doesn't end.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
Information not completed
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age,Happy Ending,Meaningful Message,Philosophical Questions
Plot - Premise
Internal Journey/Rebirth,Other
Main Character Details
Name: P. J. Janek
Age: mid to late 40's
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Aggressive,Complex,Confident,Educated,Honorable,Leader,Selfless,Romantic,Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Wes Mogan
Age: late 40's
Gender: Male
Role: Logical
Key Traits: Charming,Confident,Decisive,Empathetic,Heartthrob,Educated,Honorable,Leader,Skillful,Romantic,Strong Moral Code
Additional Character Details
Name: Cate Dominic
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Badass,Aggressive,Complex,Educated,Leader,Selfless,Outspoken,Sarcastic,Lone Wolf
Additional Character Details
Name: Jim Czapawski
Age: 50's
Gender: Male
Role: mentor
Key Traits: Charming,Complex,Confident,Empathetic,Faithful,Educated,Honorable,Modest
Genre
ROMANCE, DRAMA
Brief
Alma's Foster Care home is known to take in children in need and give them a home and a family. When she passes, her daughter PJ takes over and, with the unexpected arrival of a baby elephant, the ranch becomes also Zoo. The life of the kids, staff and even community around is deeply affected, in a positive way, by the therapeutic effects of having animals in their lives.
Overall Rating
EXCELLENT
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: EXCELLENT
Characterization: EXCELLENT
Commerciality: EXCELLENT
Franchise Potential: EXCELLENT
Pace: GOOD
Premise: EXCELLENT
Structure: GOOD
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
Book profile reflects book accurately.
Draw of Story
The premise of the story is highly inviting. The foster care house and children being brought in from several life paths, most of them sad, is already something that is able to get the attention of the audience. Combined with the exotic animals and the way the Therapeutic Zoo is being slowly built only adds up to the narrative.
Possible Drawbacks
Nothing made me want to put the book down. However, in case of an adaptation, it would be a good idea to discuss how the children brought in by foster care are tied to a work bond as per their first verbal agreement with Alma and later PJ.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
I would definitely watch this movie because of the beauty of exotic animals brought into the narrative and the compelling stories involving humans taking care of them.
Fanbase Potential
If adapted it could easily have a large fanbase as animals are adorable and characters are also unobvious and relatable.
Awards Potential
It could have awards potential if adapted because it would require production and effects efforts to build up scenes with animals. Also, the drama involving children's previous lives would require exquisite acting.
Envisioned Budget
LARGE BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
WE BOUGHT A ZOO
What’s New About the Story
This story is highly original because it combines both a foster care and a zoo being built and the therapeutic effects taking care of animals can have on people around them.
Lead Characters
PJ is a very interesting character because even though she is a sophisticated woman living in New York and building her career, she is able to find happiness when she goes back to her family ranch and adopts Buddy, a baby Gorilla, as her son.
Uniqueness of Story
It is a rare gem.
Possible Formats
Film - Studio, Film - Streaming, TV Series - Streaming, TV Series - Network, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series, TV Series - Cable
Analyst Recommendation
RECOMMEND
Justification
I recommend it because it is an original and heartfelt story, with an amazing narrative, which is able to successfully combine the passion for animals and the healing effects the zoo has on characters' lives, including staff and abused children.
Brief
This is a heartfelt story about a foster home that accepted and changed the lives of children until it received an unexpected baby: a baby elephant. As the facility receives more exotic animals and slowly becomes a zoo; the lives of children, staff and even the community around are positively affected by the therapeutic effects animals have on people.
What We Liked
The best thing about this story is that it is highly original. It contrasts the joy and beauty of exotic animals with the sad stories from children's pasts, many of them beaten and abused, and how those amazing beings are able to help them heal.
Film: It would also be a good adaptation for a Film because the stories of the children are emotionally charged, and the main character's arc is also interesting - even though she is a sophisticated and smart woman living in New York pursuing her career in marketing, she is able to find her happiness in her family's ranch among animals and children.
TV: This story would be an amazing adaptation for TV as the author provides a substantial amount of narratives ready to be divided in episodes, such as the story of each child taken in, their individual traumas and healing paths; as well as the personal journey of the protagonist, PJ, looking for her own happiness.
The greatest character arc in this narrative is the Therapeutic Zoo itself being built and finding its way into its true purpose during the narrative.
Key points: Charismatic protagonist; non-moralist approach to sexual diversity; rich in description of exotic animals; emotionally compelling stories about children with traumatic pasts; healing and positive outcomes.
Synopsis
Alma Janek is the loving wife of Klaus, and the couple decides to start adopting children after she has a miscarriage. Even though Alma is able to give birth to biological children later - Priscilla, or PJ, and Constance - her ranch becomes a foster home for several children.
As PJ graduates from college, marries (and divorces) and pursues her career in New York, a call with bad news about her mom's health takes her back to the ranch.
As Alma dies, PJ takes over the direction of the foster home. She then hires Wes Morgan.
It all changes when they receive a box with a baby elephant and with the help of Jim, the zoo veterinarian, PJ decides to keep it and take care of the baby.
Many additional animals start to arrive mysteriously - such as a zebra.
As they begin to have cash problems to maintain the Ranch, they establish an internet presence, they start filming a documentary in the facilities with the help of Alex, a documentary producer.
One day, a baby gorilla with a severe sickness arrives and PJ takes care of him. Against all odds, they succeed in treating the baby, and name him Buddy. PJ treats and considers him her son.
Wes and PJ fall in love and begin a relationship, but they finish it friendly as Wes begins to recover his career and PJ pursues a Phd in Primate Cognitive Intelligence to learn how to communicate with Buddy.
PJ graduates, receiving her Phd, and Buddy begins to understand how a keyboard works, and Cate goes to the university and takes her cheetah with her for studies.
They begin bringing animals to children's hospitals and their therapeutic effects are amazing.
As PJ start falling for Jim, Wes also falls in love with Natalia. As Natalia gets pregnant and is fired from her job, PJ offers Wes and Nat to build a home at the zoo, and they live there happily with baby Jacob.
Alex's documentary is a huge success and money earned is able to keep the zoo operating for a long time.
PJ decides to turn the Zoo into a Therapeutic Zoo, with a residential building for foster children and a facility to enable animals to help people with health conditions.
At this moment, two big surprises: they get a baby giraffe and Buddy writes on the keyboard acknowledging PJ as his mom.