Judith E. Rinard

This book went through all of the things that go on behind the scenes at a zoo and how the workers take care of each animal. It was a cute read but I would not use this for any academic units but maybe as an addition to a classroom library. It says the names of each animal and their family and talks about the food and habitats that are built for each animal and why they are helpful in creating a realistic environment for the animal such as a tall grassy ield for giraffes and a cement tree with swings for a monkey. It also talks about the feeding of each animal and the veterinarians that come in to bathe and see to the animals medical needs. It relates things to our own background knowledge such as hearing sounds louder when we cup our hands behind our ears and how we need a variety of food as well to stay happy and healthy. Overall it is a cute and semi-educational book for 2nd-4th grade.… (more)