The animals are generally mellow and relaxed, as they would have to be in such a chaotic environment, but some have strong personalities. But donвЂ™t worry, the tarantula will always stay in its cage.

The cats just might curl up next to you and let you read to them. Some stay secured in cages throughout the day (though, everВ so often a ferret darts out the front door). Almost all are rescues or were donated by local families. The furry (and not-so-furry) family now includes ferrets, cats, chinchillas, a tarantula, birds, a few fish, and a chicken. вЂњBut I didnвЂ™t want to work without animals,вЂќ Morgan adds.Д«ookstores typically donвЂ™t have cats rubbing against customersвЂ™ legs or birds chirping in every corner, but the animals are commonplace to Wild RumpusвЂ™s regulars. The unconventional approach worked: the miniature front door, the canoe breaking through an icy lake on the ceiling, and reading nooks with overstuffed poufs and child-size chairs make the store look like something out of a childвЂ™s imagination. Co-founder Collette Morgan says she didnвЂ™t want to follow business conventions, but rather design the store specifically for kids. Nestled between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet in Linden Hills, Wild Rumpus has been giving children and families a place to foster a love for reading for more than 20 years. To families everywhere, it feels like home. The store was also recently named the best childrenвЂ™s bookstore in the country by the WomenвЂ™s National Association. Tourists make the store a must-see stop on their Minneapolis trips and locals bring their out-of-town families.

ItвЂ™s loud and vibrant, and unlike most bookstores, live animals roam between the towering bookshelves. Wild Rumpus is the kind of store most people would wish they had as kids.

Wild rumpus bookstore