Zachary's Zoo

Zachary's Zoo, a Level 1 book in the Zonderkidz "I Can Read!" series, was written by Mike and Amy Nappa and illustrated by Lyn Boyer. In it an imaginative young boy named Zachary wakes to his job as a zookeeper. He feeds Tiger (the cat), Bear (the dog), and Shark (the fish). He cleans Eagle's cage (Eagle is actually a parakeet.) and saves his mom from Croc, an escaped lizard. As Zachary tends to each of his pets, he thanks God for making him a zookeeper and mentally checks off his list to make sure everyone is cared for. At the end of the book, he remembers who he forgot: himself!
What I Like: My son's name is Zachary, so our kids instantly loved this book. It's cute and funny. The text is big, clear and easy to read -- perfect for beginning readers. I also appreciate the book's emphasis on responsibility and the joy of being a hard worker.
What I Dislike: Nothing, really. The illustrations aren't great, but that's actually good because it keeps the focus on the words and learning to read, which is the purpose of this series.
Overall Rating: Very good.
Age Appeal: 4-7
Publisher Info: ZonderKidz, 2007; ISBN: 0310714664; Paperback, $3.99
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Special Info: See our reviews of other books in the I Can Read! series.