Dear Zoo
Forty years old, and still the perfect machine for teaching a baby what a book is.
Why they ask for it again
Every flap is a tiny mystery the child gets to solve with their own hand, and the answer is always an animal.
Our review
A child writes to the zoo asking for a pet. The zoo sends an elephant (too big), a giraffe (too tall), a lion (too fierce). Each one is hiding behind a crate, a cage or a basket, and a small hand lifts the flap to see who has come.
It works because the pattern is learned in one reading and the payoff lands on every page. By the time the puppy arrives, a toddler has understood prediction, turn-taking and a punchline. Few books teach so much in so few words.
How to read it aloud
Pause with your finger on each flap and ask "Who is it?" Then let them do the lifting, even if the flap does not survive.
The catch
Those flaps have a limited life span. Buy the board edition, and expect to tape it.
Is it scary?
Nothing scary. The lion is described as fierce and looks like a cuddly toy.
Books like Dear Zoo, and what to read next
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?Same animals-and-pattern pleasure, and they can start to say it with you.
Each Peach Pear PlumMoves from lifting a flap to spotting a hidden character.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!A couple of years on: the same joy of being in charge of the book.
Quick answers
What age is Dear Zoo for?
Ages 0–3. The sweet spot, in our opinion, is age 1 to 2.
How long does Dear Zoo take to read aloud?
About 2 minutes at a calm bedtime pace, by our estimate. Allow longer if you do the voices.
Is Dear Zoo scary?
Nothing scary. The lion is described as fierce and looks like a cuddly toy.
What should we read after Dear Zoo?
We would suggest Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Each Peach Pear Plum, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!.