What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Zookeeper's Wife
Niki Caro · Film · 2017
If you loved The Zookeeper's Wife, start with Our Zoo (Matt Charman, 2014) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Zookeeper's Wife across media.
What hooked you in The Zookeeper's Wife was the profound way ordinary people found the courage to protect life amidst war.
Books on the same thread
The Nightingale
Kristin Hannah · Book · 2017
Explores: wartime survival, female resistance, familial sacrifice.
Like the protagonists of The Zookeeper's Wife, the women in this story demonstrate immense personal sacrifice and resilience to resist the encroaching darkness of the Second World War.
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak · Book · 2013
Shares 2 threads with The Zookeeper's Wife: Courage, Resistance.
Much like the sanctuary provided by the Zabinskis in The Zookeeper's Wife, this novel highlights how the human spirit persists and finds hope through small acts of quiet courage.
The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto
Elizabeth R. Hyman · Book
Shares a thread with The Zookeeper's Wife: survival.
If you admired the selfless resistance efforts in The Zookeeper's Wife, you will be moved by these true accounts of women who risked everything to fight for their survival.
The Nine
Gwen Strauss · Book
Explores: female agency, wartime survival, courage under fire.
This narrative mirrors the harrowing survival themes found in The Zookeeper's Wife, focusing on the agency and bravery of women navigating the dangerous reality of the Nazi occupation.
Series on the same thread
The War
Series · 2007
Explores: World War II, Homefront, Personal Accounts.
The Zookeeper's Wife explores how global conflict alters individual lives; this series expands that scope, capturing the personal sacrifice and resilience of citizens living through the same era.
Our Zoo
Matt Charman · Series · 2014
Explores: Animal Welfare, Post-War Recovery, Found Family.
For those captivated by the animal welfare focus of The Zookeeper's Wife, this series echoes that same commitment to compassion and building a sanctuary for animals in need.
The World at War
Series · 1973
Explores: World War II, Historical Account, The Holocaust.
While The Zookeeper's Wife focuses on one family's resistance, this comprehensive series provides the essential historical context for the vast conflict that forced them into their courageous role.
The Vietnam War
Series · 2017
Explores: War Trauma, Anti-War Movement, Cold War Conflicts.
Like the personal accounts that anchor The Zookeeper's Wife, this series uses individual testimonies to reveal the profound human trauma and moral complexity inherent in wartime survival stories.
Podcasts on the same thread
Sitting with Dogs by Rocky Kanaka
Podcast
Explores: animal rescue, dog adoption, shelter dogs.
The Zookeeper's Wife highlights the deep bond between humans and vulnerable animals; this podcast continues that theme of advocacy by offering comfort to creatures in desperate need.
Search & Rescue NZ
Podcast
Shares a thread with The Zookeeper's Wife: courage.
If you were drawn to the rescue operations in The Zookeeper's Wife, you will appreciate these stories of human resilience and the high stakes involved in saving others.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Zookeeper's Wife based on a true story?
Yes, The Zookeeper's Wife is an account of the real-life keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Jan and Antonina Zabinski. The film depicts their historical efforts to save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion of Poland.
What is the main plot of The Zookeeper's Wife?
The Zookeeper's Wife follows Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who operate the Warsaw Zoo. During the Nazi invasion, the couple risks their lives to hide and protect hundreds of people and animals from the occupying forces.
Who directed The Zookeeper's Wife?
The Zookeeper's Wife was directed by Niki Caro. Released in 2017, the film focuses on the wartime experiences of the Zabinski family as they use their zoo facilities to provide sanctuary for those targeted during the Nazi occupation.
Does The Zookeeper's Wife focus only on human rescues?
No, The Zookeeper's Wife highlights the rescue of both people and animals. The narrative centers on the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo and their dual mission to save lives throughout the Nazi invasion.