Zoo [Hardcover]

Anthony Browne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 1993

Dad, mum and two brothers spend a day at the zoo, looking at the animals in the cages - or is it the animals that are looking at them?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Browne ( Gorilla ; Willy the Wimp ) again exhibits his inimitable dry wit, describing a less than idyllic family outing to the zoo. The young narrator paints an amusingly bleak picture of the day's incidents: Dad blames him when he and his brother fight during the slow, traffic-clogged trip to the zoo; Dad and Mum insist on viewing the boring animals first; and it seems that lunch time will never arrive. Worse yet, through it all, their buffoonish father embarrasses them with his relentless antics and jokes. But a lunch of burgers, fries, beans and ice cream--and a stop at the gift shop--save the day. Browne's effectively stark, magnificently realistic illustrations of the zoo animals offer a distinct contrast to his clever renditions of the supposedly human visitors to the zoo, many of whom bear an uncanny resemblance to the creatures in the cages. Younger readers may not appreciate Browne's cunning comment on human nature, or the engaging irony of Mum's closing comment: "I don't think the zoo really is for animals . . . I think it's for people." All ages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Who's looking in through the bars of the zoo cages? And who's looking out? That is what Browne's asking when he takes us along with a boy, his younger brother, mother, and father on a visit to the zoo . . . Browne is just as sly as ever
. . . He brings the surreal and the real together to give us a world transformed. This time, however, he challenges us to examine not only the things we take for granted, but also the way we are." --Starred, Booklist

"Browne again exhibits his inimitable dry wit . . . Browne's effectively stark, magnificently realistic illustrations of the zoo animals offer a distinct contrast to his clever renditions of the supposedly human visitors to the zoo, many of whom bear an uncanny resemblance to the creatures in the cages." --Starred, Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 23 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; Ex-library edition (January 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679839461
• ISBN-13: 978-0679839460
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,462,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zoo Is True, February 24, 2000

By 

Tara Breckheimer (Minnesota U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zoo (Hardcover)

This book should be required reading for Zoo staff and Zoo visitors alike. ZOO is full of the ugly truth that surrounds so many zoo visits. I know. I work at a zoo. This book is appropriatly meloncholy, giving the reader{if they have'nt already] very mixed feelings about these institutions. The characters are real and if just one reader can see themselves in these characters and change for the better,dreams do come true.As always, Anthony Browne's illistrations are haunting and rich. the text is subtle, giving the reader an opportunity to read between the lines as they look between the bars on cages,to find their own perspective. I recommend this book.My three-year-old asked me thoughtful questions about it for days.It was fun to have such meaningfull dialogue with someone so young.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of the best book i have ever read, December 25, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Zoo (Hardcover)

This book is very good. This book may not be educational but it is very, very, VERY funny. I love this book and I first heard it at a very young age. I don't get how someone can't like this. This book may not have good role models or a happy ending, but I swear if you have a dry sense of humor you will love it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!, November 22, 2010

By 

Anthony Eckley "Professional Movie Watcher" (South Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zoo (Paperback)

I love all of Anthony Browne's books. He is a fantastic author. He brings light to many issues that surround our world. While I am sure that some people want all children's books to be "happy" and "perfect", I prefer the books that create real and honest conversation with children about their feelings about various topics. Anthony Browne's books allow you, even as an adult, to rethink your ideas about the treatment of animals and people alike. I hope that more people will read Anthony Browne's books and enjoy them with their children.