The AMAZING ANIMAL TRANSLATING MACHINE: Charlie Marshall Talks to Wild Animals

Charlie Marshall is just a regular twelve-year-old in Denver—until he witnesses Professor Chomsky using the Amazing Animal Translating Machine (ATM) to chat with a dog. Afterward, the professor hands his invention to Charlie and instructs him to test it out. Because the ATM converts English into animal sounds and animal sounds into English, Charlie uncovers a secret world where animals are far more intelligent and complex than anyone ever imagined. Charlie’s first test comes when he tries the ATM on a mischievous, rude, opinionated, and chatty backyard nanny goat with plenty of attitude. The goat teaches Charlie to be extra vigilant around animals. Eager to learn more, Charlie ventures into the Colorado mountains with his best friend, Herbert, and Herbert’s father. There, he meets a massive, untamed mountain goat who shares the secrets of life of mountain goats. But soon, Charlie is thrust into danger. A huge gorilla at the zoo kidnaps a young girl. With the professor’s help, Charlie is given access to the enclosure—alone, tethered to a rope. He must use the ATM to understand the gorilla’s emotions and negotiate for the girl’s release. In Las Vegas, a cunning lion at a big cat show takes a lion tamer hostage. Charlie faces the challenge of dealing with the owners, and reasoning with the proud predator, who enjoys playing mind games. In Mexico, a massive crocodile has taken a worker hostage. Rude, impatient, and difficult to sway, the reptile forces Charlie into his toughest negotiation yet.Finally, Charlie gives some emotional support to a racehorse favored to win the Kentucky Derby—a champion living in fantasy land, where the wrong words could mean disaster. Every encounter pushes Charlie to the limit, proving that talking to animals is one thing—surviving the experience is another. Read more