When Zucchini was six weeks old, the rodent man put him' in a cage of his own, separating him from his mother. It was time for him to be independent.
But Zucchini feels trapped in his cage. There must be more to life, thinks the tiny ferret. He soon discovers he doesn't belong in a cage -- he belongs out in the open! So he decides to escape. He heads for the prairies, where his kind of animal belongs. It's not an easy journey, but Zucchini makes a good start, first taking the IRT subway, then switching to the crosstown bus. But a slight detour brings Zucchini to the Ninety-second Street ASPCA and another cage. Here, Zucchini meets Billy.
Billy loves animals, and he loves Zucchini especially. But Billy is shy, much too shy to show Zucchini how much he loves him. A misunderstanding makes Zucchini feel rejected and hurt. He runs away again and continues his trek toward the prairies.
Hopping a taxicab and an airplane, and hiking along the highway, Zucchini comes closer and closer to that place where he belongs. At last he must make a decision. The same courage that helped Zucchini to follow his dream of finding the prairies helps him in making this most important choice.
1986 Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Minnesota)
1986-87 Land of Enchantment Children's Book Award (New Mexico)
