Do Kangaroos Wear Seatbelts? [Hardcover]

Jane Kurtz (Author), Jane Manning (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

This warm and whimsical picture book opens with a little boy eagerly anticipating a trip to the zoo as his mother straps him into his car seat. Like most toddlers, he would rather run free than wear a seat belt, ride in a stroller, hold Mommy's hand, or climb into her backpack. As they pass various animal exhibits, the little boy asks teasing questions, such as "If I were a monkey, would I have to wear a helmet?" Mommy's light-hearted responses reveal, in a bouncy cadence, how animal and human moms alike keep their rambunctious young ones close and safe.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–As a mother buckles her young son safely in for a trip to the zoo, he begins a series of questions challenging the necessity of common safety measures. With playful and imaginative responses using the zoo animals they see in her explanations, his mother assures him that all creatures protect their young. "All kinds of parents everywhere–/wet or dry, low or high,/whether their bodies are large or thin,/covered with scales or fur or skin–/do their best to take good care/of their little ones." The humorous illustrations, including a monkey in a helmet, depict the absurdity of animals employing strollers and holding hands for safety. However, the intended audience will certainly relate to the human mother's unrelenting, though inspired, insistence that her son comply. Although the rhyming text is occasionally awkward and a bit forced, the warm, color-infused illustrations capture both the love of a parent for her child and the silliness of creatures behaving like humans. A colorful and reassuring tale.–Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA
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About the Author

Jane Kurtz is the versatile author of novels, easy readers, and picture books, including Water Hole Waiting.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (February 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525473580
• ISBN-13: 978-0525473589
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #466,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars children's books about parental care, July 21, 2010

By 

B. Rohrer "child advocate" (Castle Rock, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Do Kangaroos Wear Seatbelts? (Hardcover)

I bought this book for a friend who doesn't wear a seat belt. The book is actually about all that parents do to keep their children safe.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zoo Fun, July 28, 2006

By 

Shania Hence "www.altimatepublishing.com" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Do Kangaroos Wear Seatbelts? (Hardcover)

Cute tale of a mother and son's trip to the zoo. The questions the little inquisitive boy asks lead to learning and discovery about many of the animals at the zoo. The patience the mother shows for the child and the educational lessons provided, makes the book a gem.