From School Library Journal
Gr 3-5-A behind-the-scenes look at how zoos undertake the complicated task of feeding all of their different animals. Among the topics discussed are zoo nutritionists and how they determine which food is suitable for each creature. The text also examines how nutritionists find an appropriate substitute diet when the natural food is unavailable or impractical (e.g., live prey for carnivores). How the various foods are prepared and presented to the animals, and special situations that might require more attention (e.g., hand raising baby animals) are covered. This well-researched title provides many examples of specific zoos' practices, which makes for intriguing reading, such as the story of the Los Angeles Zoo's dilemma over the best method for feeding a two-headed snake. However, when the author gets away from the anecdotal material, the book becomes somewhat repetitive and loses some of its liveliness. Parentheses are used to explain unfamiliar terms, but the definitions are sometimes as difficult as the word being clarified (e.g., defining "subordinate" as "passive"). A chart that compares specific animals' zoo menus with their diets in the wild serves as a neat summary of the information. Black-and-white photos and pencil drawings provide a nice addition to the facts. This interesting offering is not likely to appeal to casual browsers, but it will find an appreciative audience among animal enthusiasts and teachers looking for something to supplement a field trip.-Arwen Marshall, formerly at New York Public Library
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 3-6. The opportunity to watch keepers feed their charges is often the highlight of a day at the zoo, but few visitors realize the preparation and thought that goes into every meal, whether it's breakfast for a tiny dormouse (a single pellet of dry rodent chow) or lunch for an enormous elephant, who snacks on loaves of bread and apples and puts away 200 pounds of hay each day. Altman takes readers into zoo kitchens and on rounds with the keepers in a book that shows animals as picky as people when it comes to what they like to eat. He also shows the diligence of human caretakers, who must acknowledge food preferences, provide nutritional needs, and be both prudent and clever when it comes to actively dishing up the grub: cranky crocs can be a problem, and it's tough to be certain that the various animals in a wilderness setting get the food they need. Illustrations by Rick Chrustowski (including a few photos) contribute to browser interest, and the writing is lively and loaded with examples. Readers will come away with more appreciation for the animals they see and the keepers who care for them, and don't be surprised if you hear kids planning for a trip to the zoo. Better buy two copies.
Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
