Zoo’s On First

"Zoo's On First" was inspired by Jeremy's son, Sawyer, and our collective love for the game of baseball. Sawyer has been playing baseball since he was two and a half, still too young for little league and at a time when most of his peers weren't yet interested in sports. It wasn't until Jeremy, Hilary and Sawyer were at the LA Zoo on one of their frequent trips that Jeremy came up with the idea for this book. They were at the area with the gorillas- Sawyer's favorite animal- when Jeremy noticed one of the gorillas was sitting all alone in a position that looked looked like a catcher'a crouch. This image ignited a spark of inspiration for Jeremy, who then collaborated with his brother Austin on the story of "Zoo's On First." They soon brought in Dave Maulbeck to illustrate and bring this magical story to life. "Zoo's On First" is a story about believing in something, and a boy who loves baseball and the zoo. Combining elements of fantastic realism and the themes of hope and teamwork- "Zoo's On First" follows one boy's journey from feeling left out to overcoming an obstacle with determination and imagination.