Birthday Zoo [School & Library Binding]

Deborah Lee Rose (Author), Lynn Munsinger (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

What could be more awesome than celebrating your birthday with the animals in the zoo! Especially when they're putting on the party. The raccoons blow up balloons, the bats pass out the hats, the lynx pours all the drinks. There's never been a party as wild as this!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Birthday Zoo by Deborah Lee Rose, illus. by Lynn Munsinger, follows an assortment of animals as they get the party started for one lucky kid (" `Who is it for?' inquired the boar. `Kid with the presents,' answered the pheasants"). Happily chaotic illustrations create a festive mood (a final painting reveals the guests as stuffed toys). Ages 3-6.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-With simple, rhyming statements and a few questions, 23 animals describe their efforts to make a birthday party for a young, gleeful, red-haired boy. The fun begins with a date circled on the calendar. "`Hey, what's the big deal?' noticed the seal. `Birthday today!' reported the ray." Interesting verbs add to the fun, as in "`We need some more forks!' flurried the storks"; and "`Go on, make a wish,' burbled the fish." While Rose's strong rhythm and rhymes will charm youngsters in a storytime, Munsinger's lively pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations beg for closer inspection. Readers will delight in the skillfully drawn, realistic animals engaged in fantastic activity, such as the seal bearing a stack of gifts on the top of his nose, the sloth lying on the tablecloth he is spreading, bats sporting paper hats, and much more on each captivating spread. A sense of reality wordlessly returns on the concluding page as the boy feeds cake to his menagerie of stuffed animals. Libraries will want to support birthdays, zoo trips, and flights of fancy with this splendid celebration.
Laura Scott, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 24 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807507768
• ISBN-13: 978-0807507766
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,384,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Deborah Lee Rose is an internationally published children's author who weaves together themes of nature and family in her award-winning and cherished books. Her newest picture book, All the Seasons of the Year, illustrated by Kay Chorao, was published in Fall 2010. "My children and I always loved reading books about the seasons together," Deborah recalls. "I wanted to create one that would capture the exhilaration and joy that children and adults share as each new season unfolds."
The Twelve Days of Springtime, Deborah's humorous picture book about a class making a school garden, was named Book of the Month by the National Wildlife Federation's Your Big Backyard magazine. Her popular ocean alphabet book, Into the A,B,Sea, was named to the New York Public Library 100 Children's Books to Read and Share. The Twelve Days of Kindergarten and The Twelve Days of Winter both won the NAPPA Gold Award, the highest award given by the National Parenting Publications Association.
"Many scenes and details in my books have come from experiences with my children, or memories of my own childhood," Deborah explains. "For example, my son was so nervous about his first day of kindergarten, but when he came home from school, he couldn't stop telling me all the wondrous things his new teacher had given him. Those classroom gifts--and many others that followed--inspired me to write The Twelve Days of Kindergarten. Readers kept asking to see more adventures of the characters Carey Armstrong-Ellis created, so I wrote The Twelve Days of Winter and The Twelve Days of Springtime to take them all further into the school year."
Deborah's first book, the environmental folktale The People Who Hugged the Trees, continues to be included in major language arts anthologies for elementary schools in the U.S. and other countries. Deborah grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Cornell University. She is a science writer for UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science and blogger for the national informal science education project howtosmile.org. She lives in Walnut Creek, California. Deborah speaks at professional reading, writing and library conferences, as well as at school, library and community events for young readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A ZOO-FULL OF GREETINGS, October 1, 2002

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birthday Zoo (School & Library Binding)

What do children enjoy more than a birthday party? Young folks find a visit to the zoo exciting. The combination of the two in "Birthday Zoo" is bound to bring smiles of delight.

Illustrated in engaging watercolors and presented in catchy rhyme, the story opens with a question, "`Hey, what's the big deal?'" noticed the seal." When it's discovered that the big deal is a birthday preparations begin.

"`What do we do?' asked the emu. `Make everyone happy,' said the okapi." And that's precisely what this joyful narrative will do as balloons are blown up, party hats distributed, and refreshments served.

At the last, imagine being wished happy birthday by a whole zoo!

- Gail Cooke

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can My Next Birthday Party Be Like This One?, November 8, 2004

By 

Aunt Kiki (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Zoo (School & Library Binding)

This book delivers on the promise in its jacket cover with Rose's enchanting, lilting rhymes and Munsinger's uproarious and lively watercolor illustrations of a zoo full of animals putting on a birthday party for a delighted young boy. It is "a birthday present to open again and again." The irresistible rhymes include: "'But where to begin?' asked the shy tamarin. `Blow up balloons.' puffed the raccoons." Laughter or at least a broad smile will erupt when this verse is read in its full-spread illustration of eight raccoons eagerly blowing up colorful birthday balloons and cheerfully floating up to the ceiling with them while a bewildered tamarin looks on. Similar hilarious delights fill the entire book as the animals progress from setting up the party to a playful and joyous celebration complete with presents, games, and cake. But, don't forget to turn the over the last page or you'll miss a great surprise. Highly recommended for ages 2 to 6

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most exciting birthday celebration ever, November 14, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birthday Zoo (School & Library Binding)

Birthday Zoo is a joyful picture book by Deborah Lee Rose about the most exciting birthday celebration ever. A whimsical poem about fun activities suggested by various playful animal friends, and cheerful color illustrations by Lynn Munsinger make Birthday Zoo an upbeat, entertaining, and highly recommended picture book for beginning readers.