The People Zoo is a children's book with an important message This book plays on the idea of people being placed in zoos, rather than animals. It addresses the topics of animals being taken from their families, being taken to zoos outside of their normal climate and habitat, and animal in-house breeding. Although some may think zoos are "educational," many animals are being held in captivity against their will and are unhappy and mistreated. Using the "friends from another planet," children can see where even though it may not be ill-intended, zoos are not for the overall good of the people.