“Where are the bars?” I asked apprehensively.

The old zookeeper smiled, stretching leathery skin to reveal perfect teeth. “It’s not that kind of zoo, Miss.” he said politely. “It’s more of a preserve.”

I looked for walls and found none. Clouds budded on the horizon, tinted a rosy color by the rising sun. “I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t either when I first got here, but you’ll catch on.” He clasped me on the shoulder and walked me over to the jeep.

On the back seat towered a stack of books.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“Homework for the rest of your life. You do read, right?”

“Of course I read, it was a requirement for working here. I just don’t get what fantasy novels have to do with my job.”

“How else could you tell the difference between a Boojum and a Snark? Or know where to tickle a Cthonian? Or what to do to keep Grues away?” He got in and patted the seat next to him. “Come on, it’s feeding time and we have a long journey ahead of us.”

“How big is this place?”

The zoo keeper smiled. “Wait and see.”