Guess Who Zoo Entertains and Educates

Guess Who Zoo, written by Howard Eisenberg and illustrated by Patrick Carlson, is a unique children’s book that encourages reader participation through a series of whimsical poems. Each poem contains clues as to what animal in the zoo you are looking for.

For example, here’s the first verse of the poem for the zoo’s monkey:

Bananas are my favorite lunch.
I peel and eat them by the bunch.
The jungle is my habitat.
For me, my friends, that is where it’s at.

The poems themselves offer a few basic animal facts. There is also a separate section in the back of the book with non-rhyming animal trivia, such as the fact that some bears can run fast enough to catch a horse or that kangaroos are incapable of walking backwards. So, as your child is reading, he’s learning fun facts to share with his friends.

Animals, poems, and guessing games tend to be popular with most children, so I think this book is a great addition to any family’s library. You can also buy the Guess Who Zoo CD, which includes musical versions of the poems in the book. The CD sounds like it would be an educational way to keep kids entertained on a long car trip.

Author Howard Eisenberg says he was inspired to write the Guess Who Zoo poems for his grandchildren. He was waiting for a flight during his book tour of Australia and New Zealand, killing time by scribbling verses on postcards for his grandchildren. His wife suggested that the poems be compiled into a children’s book.

The Guess Who series continues with Guess Who Farm and Guess Who Neighborhood. Visit the Guess Who Zoo website to learn more or to purchase the books for your child.

Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Photo credit: Guess Who Zoo