Dear Zoo

In this lift-the-flap board book, a child writes to the zoo requesting a pet. The zoo responds by sending a series of heavy wooden crates and baskets, each containing a different animal. Readers interact with the physical flaps to reveal a tall giraffe, a fierce lion, a jumpy frog, and a grumpy camel, among others. Each animal is rejected for a specific personality trait or physical attribute, such as being too big, too scary, or too tall, until the zoo finally sends a small puppy.

This book is intended for toddlers and preschoolers who are developing fine motor skills and basic vocabulary. Parents use it to teach animal identification, adjectives, and the cause-and-effect relationship of opening flaps. The repetitive sentence structure helps children predict the next move in the story, while the simple illustrations focus their attention on animal shapes and colors. Readers finish the book with a basic understanding of animal characteristics and a sense of resolution through the final successful animal match.

Practical, outward-looking, growth-minded, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Practical Optimizer. Which reader are you?