What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWe Bought a Zoo
Cameron Crowe · Film · 2011
If you loved We Bought a Zoo, start with Our Zoo (Matt Charman, 2014) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 1 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to We Bought a Zoo across media.
What hooked you in We Bought a Zoo was the profound way that caring for animals facilitates personal healing and reconnection.
Books on the same thread
Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book
Rod Campbell · Book · 2015
Explores: Animals, Problem Solving, Letters.
Just as the zoo in We Bought a Zoo brings a family together, this book captures the simple, universal joy of interacting with animals and discovering the perfect companion.
Water for Elephants: A Novel
Sara Gruen · Book · 2011
Explores: Forbidden Love, Animal Cruelty, Memory and Nostalgia.
If you appreciated the intense animal-human bond in We Bought a Zoo, you will find a more complex, historical exploration of that same connection within this dramatic circus tale.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Cheryl Strayed · Book · 2012
Explores: Grief, Self-Discovery, Resilience.
We Bought a Zoo uses a wild environment to mirror the protagonist's internal emotional state, a journey of self-discovery and resilience that perfectly parallels the path taken in this memoir.
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Shares 2 threads with We Bought a Zoo: Redemption, Community.
Like the father in We Bought a Zoo, Ove is a man navigating grief who finds his rigid world expanded and softened by the unexpected presence of a new community.
Series on the same thread
Our Zoo
Matt Charman · Series · 2014
Shares 2 threads with We Bought a Zoo: Animal Welfare, Family Drama.
This series is the ideal follow-up to We Bought a Zoo, as it mirrors the exact premise of building a community around the challenging, rewarding pursuit of animal welfare.
Podcasts on the same thread
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
If you loved the blend of big feelings and human-interest storytelling in We Bought a Zoo, these audio documentaries offer that same intimate look at the complexities of life.
THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST
ADAM BUXTON · Podcast
Explores: east anglia, family life, dog ownership.
Much like the grounded family dynamics in We Bought a Zoo, this podcast balances serious life reflections with the everyday humor found in personal experiences and dog ownership.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is We Bought a Zoo based on a true story?
The provided metadata for We Bought a Zoo describes the film as a story about a man named Benjamin who purchases a house with a zoo to start his life over after losing his wife. The description does not state that the film is based on a true story.
What is the main conflict in We Bought a Zoo?
In We Bought a Zoo, the primary conflict involves Benjamin attempting to renovate a dilapidated zoo while managing his son's unhappiness regarding the move. The situation becomes more difficult when the zoo begins to experience significant financial trouble, threatening the future of the project.
Why does Benjamin purchase the property in We Bought a Zoo?
Benjamin decides to purchase the large house and zoo featured in We Bought a Zoo as a way to start his life over following the loss of his wife. He hopes the change in environment will provide a fresh beginning for himself and his children.
How do the children react to the house in We Bought a Zoo?
The children have conflicting reactions to the property in We Bought a Zoo. While Benjamin's daughter considers the presence of the zoo to be welcome news, his son is not happy about the family's decision to move to the house or the responsibility of the zoo.