The Zoomers' Handbook

February 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Despite the title that suggests dashing around, this book is a humorous bestiary of sorts, a handbook for a cross between zookeepers and farmers who look after imaginary hybrids of wild and domestic animals. Each spread depicts one fantastical beast such as "goatrilla" or "horsodile," followed by a brief description of their special traits and/or food preferences, like eating cans or running fast. The illustrations of the unique animals are charming and silly, sure to amuse readers, along with the absurd combination names. However, the shifts in font size and layout are somewhat more distracting than clever and do not add much to the overall effect. VERDICT Quirky but slight fare; Jack Prelutsky's Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant (2006) or Stardines Swim High Across the Sky: And Other Poems (2013, both Greenwillow) offer more substantial and punnier animal mash-ups.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2016
Caretakers of invented animals need special instructions and great imagination. As the text emphatically states (in gigantic print), this is not a simple handbook for the easy tasks of zookeepers or farmers but for the mashup of those two careers. The name given to this career indicates the pattern for the names of the created animals, which are combinations of wild animals and those found on a farm. Each of these unusual creatures is depicted in soft tones of gray, brown, blue, and green against a pale gray background on a double-page spread. The accompanying large-type text names it and gives a bit of helpful information about it. A "polar cow" eats strawberries, dances, and then proceeds to produce ice cream. It's hard to see the glorious feathers of the "pigcock," because they're covered in mud. The "horsodile" can provide a very fast ride on land or underwater. Several of the critters are amusing and creative and will elicit giggles from young readers, but others might just cause puzzlement. The "girafooster" might not be recognized by either of its parts, and it is only the text that gives a clue to its identity. The "shiger" is a delightful creature, but the wooly stripes noted in the text are not readily evident in the illustration. It's clever and often charming but uneven overall. A near miss. (Picture book. 5-9)

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March 1, 2016
Preschool-K What, pray tell, is a zoomer? We meet a zookeeper-farmer hybrid who takes care of animal in-betweens, like the fast-swimming horsodile and the muddy but gloriously feathered pigcock. Kids will get a kick out of these animal mash-ups and the factoids offered for each. The text is playfully placed on the page, sometimes running vertically and other times filling the space with an extra-large font. Likewise, the endearing pen-and-ink illustrations make creative use of each creature's double-page spread and are rendered in muted tones. The quick facts about the animals occasionally lack the same degree of cleverness seen in the accompanying art. Even so, young readers will have fun identifying the two animals that make up each specimen. If the name isn't enough, they need only check the illustrations for clues, such as the duck and kangaroo evidenced in the duckaroo's webbed feet, high jumps, and egg pouch. The large-scale format and opportunities for participation make this a nice choice for a silly storytime.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
Behold! A handbook not for "zookeepers" or "farmers" but for "Zoomers," who "look after very special beasts," including the "goatrilla" (goat plus gorilla) and the "shiger" (sheep plus tiger), whose "stripey wool makes the nicest sweaters." The text is marvelously understated; likewise, the illustrations use subdued colors, ensuring readers will fix on the finer details of these hybrids' weirdly wondrous physical attributes.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)