Kids Book Series "Ranger in Danger" from Five Mile Press

What better place to launch a new animal book series for kids than at a zoo - which is where Australia's Five Mile Press released its new Ranger in Danger series recently. Some 30 rangers-in-training attended the event at Werribee Zoo, which included a chance for the kids to feed zebras and rhinos.

The book series is the brainchild of Australian ranger and United Nations Environment Day Award Winner Sean Willmore and Five Mile Press, written with co-author Alison Reynolds and illustrated by Andrew Hopgood. There are already four books available and a fifth - Erik's Enigma - is due out in August and a sixth in October.

The launch at Werribee Zoo was done in cooperation with Zoos Victoria and author Willmore's foundation The Thin Green Line, which helps families of rangers killed in the line of duty, usually by poachers. "These Ranger in Danger books not only highlight the plight of wildlife but bring to life the very real stories of the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect an increasing number of endangered species and their habitats," says Victoria Zoos Conservation Coordinator Brooke Squires.

The books are selling well, says Juliet Willcocks of Five Mile Press, and are already being reprinted to keep up with demand.  There are a range of other Ranger in Danger tie-ins already, including a web game - test your skills here. "The web game is doing extremely well," says Willcocks. "We are also looking at doing a school tour and a special in-store promotion where Sean and Alison bring in an animal - maybe a snake! - and an animal trainer to meet the kids."