Z Is for Moose
CCBC Review:
Moose can’t wait to take his turn in this alphabet book, first attempting to butt in on the letter D. Zebra, who is refereeing this alphabet showcase, orders him off the page. But there Moose is again, stumbling into Elephant on the E page, and completely covering the text on the page that says “H is for Hat” (the text must be inferred by the visual clue—what you can see of the hat behind gangly, round-eyed Moose, who is all eagerness). Finally, it’s time for the letter M and Moose’s big moment: “M is for Mouse.” “What? Wait! No! That was supposed to be me!” The props and pages for O, P, and Q (owl, pie, queen) are the victims of Moose’s ensuing tantrum (again, readers must infer the missing narrative from visual clues, which in this case have been scattered and scrambled by Moose’s fury). Finally the tantrum dissolves into sniffles, and then full-fledged tears, until Zebra saves the day. Because it turns out the letter Z is for “Zebra’s friend, Moose.” A clever, outrageously funny alphabet book features a narrative by Kelly Bingham’s that includes many dialogue bubbles conveying Moose and Zebra’s ongoing exchange as well as comments from others who are witness to the ever-increasing spectacle. And Paul O. Zelinksy’s illustrations are a masterful riot, incorporating humor into small details as well as big moments. ©2012 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-7
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Alphabet Books
Animals (Fiction)
Humor
Publishers:
Greenwillow, HarperCollins
Publish Year: 2012
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780060799847
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Bingham