Out favorite children’s books: Zoo books

Ever since we went to Zoo Lights, Peeper has been talking about the zoo. It’s a good thing we have a ton of favorite children’s books about the zoo on regular rotation!

Peeper is all zoo, all the time. When I say we’re taking Finn for a walk, she says, “Zoo!” When I buckle her into her car seat, she says, “Zoo!” When we brush our teeth, she points to the picture of the rhino in the bathroom and says, “Zoo!” (Yes, we have a photo of a rhino in the bathroom. Don’t you?)

We’ve hit up the zoo a few times since then, and she continues to talk about the otters, tiger, rhino and fish she saw there. (She’s staying mostly mum on the hippos, though, after the recorded hippo calls the zoo plays completely terrified her.)

Peeper visits the giraffes at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois during Christmas.
Peeper visits the giraffes at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois during Christmas.

Luckily, we have a membership, but we just don’t have the time to trot over to see the animals every. single. day. So Peeper gets her zoo fix on my lap in the rocking chair during storytime (which, in our home, is pretty much all the time).

Here, then, are our favorite children’s books about the zoo.

Our favorite children’s books about the zoo

1 2 3 to the Zoo1, 2, 3 to the Zoo, by Eric Carle. Anything by Eric Carle is pretty much a slam dunk around here, and this one is no exception. Peeper counts the animals on the train headed to the zoo (sometimes with her finger, sometimes with her foot, natch) and delights in the final page, which shows the whole gang.

 

Dear ZooDear Zoo, by Rod Campbell. In this lift-the-flap book, a child writes to the zoo, asking them to send the perfect pet. But each animal doesn’t quite fit—one is too fierce, another too naughty—until the zookeepers get it right at the end. Peeper loves the peekaboo effect of discovering a lion, snake and giraffe in their crates—even after the millionth read.

 

Chomp ZooChomp! Zoo, by Heather Brown. Peeper never tires of pulling the tab that opens and closes each animal’s mouth. She makes their noises, too (you should hear her whisper-roar!). I love Brown’s rich, expressive illustrations—I want to head to Powell’s and buy every book she has ever created. (Skeptical? Start with The Robot Book.)

 

Good Night GorillaGood Night, Gorilla, by Peggy Rathman. With almost no words, this classic portrays a mischievous gorilla who sneaks the keys away from the zookeeper and springs its friends from their cages. Peeper cracks up at their sneaky antics, and as she gets older, she’ll discover even more details packed into these pages—like the wandering balloon you can spot in every scene.

Do you have favorite children’s books about the zoo? Let me know! I’ll add them to our collection.

0 thoughts on “Out favorite children’s books: Zoo books

  • February 24, 2015 at 8:19 am
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    Ahh this brings me back to when my kiddos were younger. We LOVED going to the zoo so often! We had Good Night Gorilla, too, and also loved the Dr Seuss book Put Me In A Zoo (I think that’s what it is…it’s been so long!). Enjoy the zoo years! 🙂

    Reply
    • February 24, 2015 at 8:27 am
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      Oh, we don’t have that one! I’ll look for it. Thanks for the rec!

      Reply
  • February 24, 2015 at 8:45 am
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    that giraffe photo is awesome! i love the view too

    Reply
  • February 24, 2015 at 10:05 am
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    Aw, she counts with her foot, adorable! Sometimes I also have some bookmarked zoo Webcams I enjoy full screen to see animals in motion, might be something to check out if she likes certain animals

    Reply
    • February 24, 2015 at 10:08 am
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      Pech, the web cam idea is an awesome one! We’ll try that one of these days—like when Mama’s trying to make dinner or pay bills and *someone* just wants attention. 😉

      Reply
  • February 24, 2015 at 1:59 pm
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    These are great recommendations! We are always looking for new books to read to the kids. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  • February 25, 2015 at 9:48 am
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    Thanks for this! We are working on our library now. My little girl is still too young for much reading but I can’t wait until story time begins.

    Reply
  • February 26, 2015 at 3:18 pm
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    We lived near the city zoo for years and I used to love walking through it when I was pregnant with Oliva and of course it was even better when she finally arrived and was able to appreciate the wonder in her own way. You’ve already nailed down all the favorites. 😉

    Reply
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