Z is for Moose

Moose #1

by Kelly Bingham, Paul O. Zelinsky (Illustrator)

Caldecott Medalist Zelinsky illustrates an outrageously funny and boundary-breaking story for fans of Jon Scieszka and David Weisner. Zebra wants to put on a show as simple as A-B-C, but Zebra's friend Moose has other (unexpected and hilarious) ideas. Full color.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Animals, Storytime, Fiction, Friendship

32 pages

First published February 28, 2012

About the author

Kelly Bingham is the author of the award-winning novel Shark Girl as well as Z Is for Moose, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Recipient of an MFA in writing for children and young adults, Kelly Bingham lives in Georgia.

Reviews

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this, I laughed out loud -- and I was staffing the library's reference desk at the time. But it takes a pretty clever story to make this librarian laugh a big ol' belly laugh, and this one is clever with a capital C. Observant readers will notice that the story actually starts before the title page, with an obviously excited Moose holding up the curtain to reveal the line-up for the book, organized by Zebra. The illustrations continue through the title page (altered by Moose) and the dedication, right up through the start of the book. What appears to be a standard alphabet book becomes so much more! Readers will feel for Moose, who can hardly wait to be a part of the book. My absolute favorite spread is one of the best-illustrated temper tantrums I've seen -- all of Moose's pent-up frustration comes right out in a big, messy way. By the end, the reader is feeling pretty bad for Moose, and so is Zebra. I can hardly wait to share this one with kids.

6 Starred Reviews: Booklist, Hornbook, Kirkus, PW, SLJ, CCBC.

See also review at 5 Minutes for Books.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was very, very funny. The illustrations are fabulous and are integral to the story. Yes, even though this is an alphabet book there is a story. It has a very sweet ending too. Young kids who have issues with delayed gratification, which is 99.99% of them at one time or another, will really identify with moose. Good alphabet book for all levels and an engaging story and wonderful illustrations; both are amusing and interesting. I loved it. 4 ½ stars

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nominate this one for the Caldecott instead of the artsy-fartsy crap aimed at hipster children's librarians, booksellers and other clueless adults!

This reminds me of Melanie Watts fabulous "Chester" books (themselves in my view a homage to the immortal Bugs/Daffy cartoon "Duck Amuck") as Zebra tries to keep a standard ABC book in order all the way to "Z".

Moose, eager for his turn, suddenly begins appearing ahead of schedule. But when "M" is for Mouse instead of Moose, Moose acts out and Zebra must keep order and finish the alphabet. The ending is perfect, as Zebra finds a way to make Moose happy AND finish the alphabet.

Paul Zelinsky's art is perfectly pitched to the text--it's clear he was having fun here. And so will kids.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute alphabet book. Little kids would really enjoy this. The moose keeps showing up for every letter, so that's why young kids would find this funny.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The traditional alphabet book gets a humorous remake from author Kelly Bingham and illustrator Paul Zelinsky, as a harried zebra attempts to organize various creatures and objects into the proper alphabetical order. Unfortunately for him, eager Moose interrupts the process, continually trying to insert himself on the incorrect page. When 'M' finally does arrive, and is given to Mouse (!), the cervine interloper is beside himself, spending the rest of the book alternately whining and sobbing. In the end, Zebra finds a way to include him after all...

One of the few alphabet books I have encountered that is also an engaging story, as well as a good read-aloud selection - I have seen it performed by two readers at story-time, and it is always a winner! - Z is for Moose is an amusing look, not just at the alphabet, but at the younger child's penchant for wanting what he wants when he wants it. In that sense, I was reminded a bit of the feeling of Mo Willem's pigeon books, which is high praise indeed! The artwork here, although not in the more ornate style Zelinsky has used for his award-winning fairy-tale retellings, is engaging and fun, adding to the entertainment value. Recommended to anyone looking for humorous stories for toddlers, and/or for innovative alphabet books.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

A funny twist on the typical alphabet book, all is going well here until Moose gets confused on what letter he comes in on. He scampers about trying to fit into all the wrong letters and ends up really dejected when they decide to put in "Mouse" instead of him when his letter finally appears. Will he ever find a place in the story?

I imagine children who are already very familiar with the alphabet will get a big kick out of this. I was mildly amused and thought the ending was a nice surprise--very sweet.

[Paul Hankins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing like a good moose tantrum in the middle of an ABC book to bring the whole thing to life and nothing like the reconciliation of a friendship to wrap the whole thing up. Zelinsky's illustrations are a lot of fun.

Ladder this one up with A IS FOR SALAD. We'll be using both in our ABCs of Categorization and Classification in Room 407 in the future.

[Richard Jalbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this at a play group this morning. Great book and great stress relief reading to a room full of 2-4 year olds.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. The kids all loved it as well. A cute ABC book where a moose runs rampant through the pages, trying to get on a page, any page, so he can be part of the book. When the zebra, who is in charge, decides to use a mouse instead of moose on the "M" page, moose gets very angry and chaos takes over on each page as he tries to vent his feelings. In the end, the zebra comes to a decision, including moose in the book, without destroying the integrity of it. We all really enjoyed this one. Just a lot of fun with great illustrations.

[Dov Zeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

My neighbor (who just started kindergarten) brought this over the other day to read (we've read it together before, but not for at least a year) and left it here (we live in the same house, and often she brings things over and they stay here for a while.) So, as it was lying on the coffee table in front of us while we had lunch yesterday, I insisted on reading it to my (adult) friend Sonny. I love it soooooo much. He liked it, too, though I'm not sure he is as gleeful about it as I...

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was such cute fun--I loved it! This would be best in a read-alone of an observant child--because it took me a few pages to notice that the off-stage stuff "referred" to things seen on the publication and dedication pages. It made the book all the more enjoyable and hilarious for me. A lap-read may work well, too. I loved Moose. He was like an excited kid waiting for his turn, and re-acted as one would expect said kid to do. It may be also that I have a thing for moose, but I really liked the book.

Too bad I can't really read it in a storytime, because they would miss so much. Then again, some of them may get the humor even if they can't see the pictures in great detail. That would then leave me up to conveying the rest as best as I could--and I doubt my abilities in that. Maybe in a smaller school-age group who would be patient as I tried to let each kid see what was happening, though the lag time might detract from the hilarity.

1/9/13 & 1/10/13: Fabulous. I brought in my moose to "introduce" the story. I put up felt letters as we went along, having them tell me what the letters were. (The normal size group on Wed. did not know them as well as 2 of the 3 kids in Thu.'s group!) While they missed the tiny details, they completely understood that Moose was in the wrong place. And when he threw a tantrum. Both groups at some point were done with the letters, just wanting to see what happened with the moose. But I kept them focused and they still anticpated each letter. They loved the ending. I even read the "can we do it again" and had us repeat the alphabet while pointing at the felt letters. Wed. group tried to sing the song, but I am my mother's daughter and would not go with them on that. I stayed my pace and they eventually followed. On Thu. I used my moose to point out the letters, but apparently they were done speaking aloud by then. :-) LOVE that I found--without trying--a coloring sheet with both a moose and a mouse on it.

I think I love this book more each time I read it.

4/17/13 Woohoo! A Beehive nominee! I think school-age will be the perfect audience for this. So excited to see how the kids like this.

9/10/14 The moms liked this, and even the slightly too young 2 children I had at preschool storytime enjoyed it. Always a winner.

11/18/15 Used in Moose theme as part of Literacy Moment. I had 1 or 2 children who were old enough, and all the rest were too young. But we went with it. It got all the kids quite riled up, but I had them come and tell me what the picture was (or was supposed to be), what letter the pic started with, and then had them write the letter on the board. Once everyone had a turn, I went through the rest of the book so they could see the friendship between Moose and Zebra. Led in to them understanding the sequel better when I got to it.

7/26/17 Used as closer for Z theme. I love this book. Perfect last book for the last storytime of the session.

7/25/18 Closer for X, Y, Z theme. Even with more newbies and young 'uns, this seemed to be the favorite. It didn't have very stiff competition either, considering the other 2 books being a bit overhead. Not a bad storytime overall. And glad that this is still well received.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, is a hilarious book about organization, humor, impatience, anger, disappointment, and friendship, all arranged around the alphabet.

Zelinsky's mixed media illustrations for each letter are framed with a band of color and show animals or objects against a pastel background, until Moose's impatience and exuberance take over at the letter D. Moose can then be seen intruding into every picture until - he isn't chosen for a turn for M! A riot of colors and emotions ensues, in a tantrum worthy of the Elephant and Piggie books or the Pigeon ones by Mo Willems.

Moose then starts rewriting sentences, as in Chester. Moose's interruptions also remind me of the Little Red Hen in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. The original simple text - blank is for blank - soon has dialogue between Moose and Zebra, and comments by various animals or people. Finally afer his anger fades, Moose in inconsolable, until Zebra finally comes up with a perfect solution.

Z is for Moose is not a book to use for teaching the alphabet, but for a fun review and lessons on patience, taking turns, and friendship, this is a very funny winner. This will work for read-alouds, but is best shared in a small group or one on one to totally enjoy the illustrations. Recommended for school and public library collections. This should make many Best of 2012 lists and has some chance for Caldecott recognition.

For ages 5 to 8, librarians, teachers, alphabet, patience, taking turns, humor, friendship, and fans of Kelly Bingham & Paul O. Zelinsky.

[Sandi Rossman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I viewed this book for the alphabet category (picture book assignment). The source was the 2013 Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts.

In this book, a zebra directs the alphabet show and has the job of making sure each object gets to the stage in alphabetical order by the initial letter/sound. However, a zany moose appears at the wrong times and interrupts the show! When the poor moose realizes he isn't even in the show, he sets out to ruin the production. Fortunately, the conflict is resolved by the letter z's appearance.

The pictures are hysterical. The illustrations draw kids into the book as they laugh at the moose popping into the wrong scenes, getting pie all over the queen, drawing antlers on a snake, and fighting with the zebra. The pictures tell a story all on their own while kids are learning letters.

My personal reaction is that this book is about much more than ABCs. I think this book is as much about friendship as it is about the alphabet. When Moose cries that it is too late to be in the show, Zebra takes his hand and finds a way to get him into the show.

The obvious use for this book in the classroom is to help students learn their ABCs and initial letters and sounds. However, a better use for this book would be to teach a character education lesson in the classroom: how to be a good friend. In keeping with that theme, students could discuss feelings from different points of view. For example, students could discuss how Zebra feels during the show or how Moose feels during the production.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zebra’s in charge of this alphabet show and he’s determined everything will run like clockwork. Unfortunately, Moose is a little over zealous. It’s just so difficult to wait for his turn! M is halfway through the alphabet! Will Zebra be able to keep the show running smoothly? Will Moose get to be in the show?

Each mixed media illustration is framed with a band of color and shows animals and objects against a simple pastel background. Each page features a single letter and what it stands for, “A is for Apple, B is for Ball.” Against this trite background, Moose’s humorous antics pop to the forefront. The text of the alphabet book is printed in large letters with dialogue between characters in speech bubbles. As with the text, the fun illustrations appear when Moose interrupts the orderly show. I love the pages that shows Moose having a tantrum because Mouse has been chosen over Moose for the letter M, he stomps his feet in the pie (for the letter P) and upsets the queen and owl (for Q and O) turning the page into a jammy mess of hoof prints and letters.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The zebra has directed the production of this book, and after consulting his list, he decides and orchestrates who or what is to appear on each page. This seems to be working out until his friend the moose gets overexcited and can’t wait his turn. “Now?” he asks, “now?” appearing on every page, much to the zebra’s frustration. When they finally get to “M is for…” he is suddenly replaced. Angry and hurt, the moose sets out to sabotage the rest of the book! What can zebra do to save his book and soothe his friend’s hurt feelings?

This funny book will delight readers of all ages – especially the ones who already know their alphabet and understand the havoc that the moose is wreaking. It’s nice to see that zebra and moose’s friendship can survive this fiasco- and is more important to both of them than a perfectly arranged alphabet. Paul Zelinsky surely had great creating the illustrations for this book – particularly after the moose gets vengeful!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very-organized Zebra has all the animals lined up and ready to take their places in his ABC book. Everyone is eager to show off their best sides, and all of them are following Zebra's directions--everyone, that is, except Moose who arrives far too early during the letter d, causing all sorts of mayhem as he accidentally jabs Elephant in the side. After lurking around the other letters as he waits his turn, the anticipation builds as the letter m draws near. But to his dismay and disappointment, there is no M is for moose but rather M is for mouse. He throws a fit and squashes the pie all over the next few letters. Zebra relents and finds him a place in the alphabet line-up. I found this cleverly written and illustrated title ever so entertaining and enjoyed the colorful mixed media illustrations as well. Fans of David Wiesner are likely to enjoy this one too.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zebra is directing the production of this book. As the animals/objects are being photographed for the book, Moose is getting excited and anxious for his upcoming turn...but then we get to M and M is for Mouse. Moose does not handle it well and goes wild. Zebra tries to return balance back to the book and comes up with a nice plan to make the situation work for everyone. The illustrations are funny and it is engaging to have a character like Moose that breaks the traditional writing rules.

[Jim Erekson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breaking the frame of the narrative is something that's been done a lot lately. So was there something different about this one? I don't know. The best part was when the moose had a tantrum at the spread for O and Q and obliterated the page. On some pages only the slightest hint of the 'underneath' scene was shown, and the story never 'corrected' itself to present the hidden page and re-establish conventions--the postmodern commitment stayed strong to the end.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moose wreaks havoc on Zebra's carefully thought out plans. You either think moose is an adorable goof or a super jerk who ruins everything, throws a violent and destructive fit and then manipulates the animal screwed over by this bad behavior into apologizing for being victimized.

Is this an allegory for domestic violence?

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie's Picks: Z IS FOR MOOSE by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky, ill. Greenwillow, February 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-06-079984-7

"Up at Lake Winna-Bango...the far northern shore...
Lives a huge herd of moose, about sixty or more,
And they all go around in a big happy bunch
Looking for nice tender moose-moss to munch"
--Dr. Seuss, from THIDWICK THE BIG-HEARTED MOOSE (Random House, 1948)

"Mooses look into your window at night,
They look to the left and they look to the right.
The mooses are smiling they think it's a zoo
And that's why the mooses like looking at you."
--Arlo Guthrie, from MOOSES COME WALKING, illustrated by Alice M. Brock (Chronicle, 1995)

Since years before I was even born, mooses have maintained a reputation among children for being big, goofy creatures. In Z IS FOR MOOSE, this persona is employed in the crafting of the funniest alphabet book I have seen in a long time.

Z IS FOR MOOSE is framed as a standard alphabet book. It begins with "A is for Apple," and "B is for Ball," one letter per page with simple illustrations accompanying the text. But for those who have paid any attention to what is going on across the copyright and dedication pages (and even earlier), this is clearly not your standard ABC book. Instead, we see a passel of creatures and inanimate objects (apples and jam jars and pie slices all with legs) lined up outside a stage door. A zebra, attired in a referee's shirt and holding a clipboard, is clearly in charge of maintaining order.

"D is for Moose
"'Moose? No.
"Moose does not start with D. You are on the wrong page."

By time we get to the letter D, a rambunctious Moose has kicked the Duck off stage and has taken over. When Zebra chases him off of that page, Moose accidentally jams an antler into the Elephant on the E page, and gets in the way of the Hat on the H page. Then he is clearly visible behind the Ice cream cone on the I page, and somehow gets himself onto the label of the jar of Jam on the J page. What could be the funniest moment is seeing his big Moose muzzle sticking out of the kangaroo's pouch, with the startled baby kangaroo asking, "Mommy, who is that?"

This is but a prelude to all hell breaking loose when it turns out that M is for Mouse instead of it being designated for Moose. In his subsequent tantrum, Moose wreaks havoc amongst the Owl, the Pie, and the Queen, and crayons moose antlers onto the Ring and the Snake, before Zebra begins protecting the rest of the pages and, ultimately, comes to a satisfactory compromise with Moose for sharing his (Zebra's) page.

Z IS FOR MOOSE is really well-crafted for re-reading discoveries. For instance, I had to go back to the copyright page/dedication page happenings to figure out what the small, unidentifiable objects on the respective B is for Ball and C is for Cat pages actually are.

In addition to pairing this with other memorable moose books, the behind-the-scenes antics here make me want to try this alongside my favorite Elephant and Piggie book, WE ARE IN A BOOK.

A real moose-ter-piece!

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy a good meta book. From Interrupting Chicken to We are in a Book! to It's a Book, there's something that's a lot of fun about knowing that the character in the book know that you're reading about them. And it's so exciting when the characters jump out of the pages. It makes the books hilarious for both children and adults, in my opinion. Z Is for Moose is an alphabet book gone wrong. You see, Moose is not-so-patiently waiting for his turn to star in "M is for Moose," but waiting halfway through the alphabet is difficult for him. So you'll see him peek through and ask about his turn, and after M comes up, he hangs around, too. It goes without saying, but this isn't an alphabet book that you'd use to introduce your kids to the alphabet, since it would make it way too confusing. But it's great fun for kids who have learned it recently. I haven't read any other books that Paul O. Zelinsky has illustrated other than the Caldecott-award-winning Rapunzel, and the style is very different from that book. Recommended for storytimes, readalouds, bedtime stories.

Ages 3 and up

[Genee121 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love loved this book! Kelly Bingham does a wonderful job at making learning letters of the alphabet fun and exciting. Zebra is in charge of directing the production of this make you laugh all the way to the end of the book. While each letter is to be introduced with a picture that starts with its letter, things go laughably wrong when Moose starts showing up on the page when the letter "D" is being introduced thinking its his turn to be recognized. Then Moose moves on to the page with the letter "E" being introduced running into Elephant. Fox and glove manage to escape moose on their page but make no mistake, Moose is back full force on page "H" asking "Is it my turn yet?"...and continues to ask this until page "L" where Moose knows that the letter "M" comes after the letter "L". But to everyone's surprise (especially MOOSE'), Zebra decides to use a mouse to introduce the letter "M" instead of Moose. This both angers and saddens Moose. So Moose begins to throw a fit, and ends up smashing pie over a few letters, marking over the letters R,S, and crying on pages T, U, V, W, X and Y. Zebra makes an executive decision to save the ending of the story by introducing the letter "Z" as Zebras's best friend is Moose. What a great ending!! Though Moose ultimately made Zebra change his mind to use "M" for mouse instead of moose...possibly for showing up on pages he should not have. Zebra definitely shows that he cares about his friend and makes sure he knows it by making him a part of the end.

Fun bright color illustrations used wonderfully. I love how this book actually told a story using the letters of the alphabet instead of just listing them.

Excellent read.

[Courtney Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Bingham and Paul O’ Zelinsky pair up to bring us this brightly colored, laugh out loud funny story Z is for Moose. This book is perfect for young and even the oldest of readers as it is sure to bring out the biggest of belly laughs.

Zebra is in charge of the alphabet show and is sure all will be smooth-sailing, but Moose is having a particularly difficult time waiting his turn. He keeps popping up on everyone else’s page and when it finally is his turn, Zebra goes with Mouse instead. This infuriates Moose and he continues to act out until Zebra is left with no other choice but to give page Z to Moose: Z is for Zebra’s friend, Moose.

For this story, Zelinsky breaks away from his usual elegant oil paintings and uses full color, mixed media instead to illustrate this comedic alphabet story.



I LOVED this book! It is absolutely adorable and so hilariously funny! Small children will definitely relate to Moose and the task of having to wait one’s turn. I especially love how the colors of the illustrations focus on Moose’s accelerating mood… the story starts with more simple, soft illustrations and moves to more vibrant, chaotic ones as Moose becomes upset. As a teacher, you could use this book as a read aloud with PreK and Kindergarten students who are learning their alphabet letters. With older elementary kids, you could use this book to discuss Moose’s character, his feelings, and motivation for his actions. Skills such as retelling, making predictions, and making connections could also be emphasized with this book.

[Wendy Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Z Is for Moose

Bingham, K. L., Zelinsky, P. O. (2012). Z is for Moose. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Kirkus, Booklist, Horn Book, Publishers Weekly and SLJ starred reviews

Category: Alphabet

Kelly Bingham's zany alphabet book is one of the best and funniest books I've seen in ages. In Paul Zelinsky's hilarious mixed-media illustrations, Moose runs rampant through the pages of an alphabet book, so excited to get to the M page that he just can't wait his turn! When he finds out that in this book, M is for Mouse, his childish, hilarious tantrum and subsequent heartbreak is relatable for any young child.

I particularly enjoyed the page where he thoroughly stomps over "O is for Owl, P is for Pie, and Q is for Queen" so they can't even be read clearly, followed by "R is for Moose" and "S is for Moose" as Moose alters everything in crayon. (This is reminiscent of Melanie Watt's Chester) Meanwhile, his friend Zebra tries to keep things under control, before finally relenting in a very sweet ending. (Is Zebra rewarding bad behavior or just being a nice friend? That is one to debate for parents, but children won't care.) What is wonderful about this book is that underneath all the humor is a genuine, plain old-fashioned alphabet book that will actually help teach the alphabet while entertaining.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alphabet Book
Bingham, Kelly. Z is for Moose. (2012).
The cover illustration cleverly lets the reader know that this will not be the usual alphabet book, as Moose takes over the space. Before we even get to the title page, we see Moose lifting what seems to be a curtain and notice Zebra managing the line of characters to get the book started. Bright colors completely fill the space on each page. Once we begin turning pages, the ABCs are introduced in short, simple sentences and are accompanied by a corresponding alliterative image taking center stage. However, Moose is impatient and keeps popping into the wrong page, only to finally find out when we get to M that he has been replaced. What ensues is a temper tantrum like no other. Can Zebra save the day? Funny and so very charming, this book will most definitely delight readers who will identify with having to wait your turn and the frustration that goes along with delayed gratification. All will be delighted with the hilarious and anxious Moose illustrations, however, more accomplished readers will relish the Moose's rewriting of the text to include himself on the page. ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice: Books for Youth (2012); ALA Notable Children’s Book (2013).
Target audience: ages 3-8.

[Angela Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title / Author / Publication Date:
Z is for Moose. / Kelly Bingham. Paul O. Zelinksy (ill.). / 2012.

Genre: Fiction.

Format: Picturebook - print.

Plot summary:
"Moose, terribly eager to play his part in the alphabet book his friend Zebra is putting together, then awfully disappointed when his letter passes, behaves rather badly until Zebra finds a spot for him" (NoveList).

Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
alphabet book, Zebras, Moose, behavior and personal conduct

Review citation:
"The amusing alphabetical adventure is told through hilarious mixed-media illustrations and dialogue bubbles. Unexpected details like Moose hiding in Kangaroo's pocket will delight young readers" (Linda L. Walkins in School Library Journal).

Section source used to find the material:
ALSC: 2013 Notable Children's Books.

Recommended age: Ages 4 - 8.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABULOUS!!! I almost peed my pants this book is so funny! It's a non-typical children's alphabet book. Although it starts out relatively normal. But Moose begins to try to assign himself to letters he doesn't belong to. Zebra, who's referee-ing, tells Moose to keep moving. Moose interrupts every letter until he gives up and decides there just isn't anywhere for him to fit. Zebra finally finds a place for him.

Mooses' behavior so clearly mirrors that of children at times that this book will tickle parents and make kids giggle.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooray for fun, new alphabet books! Poor Moose! He desperately wants to be in Zebra's alphabet book - will he make the cut for the letter M? And can Zebra save his alphabet and his friendship with Moose?

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did absolutely nothing for me except make me want to give the moose a good spanking and some time out. It was supposed to funny but instead it illustrates the WRONG way for a child to try and get attention when they need it. Not funny at all.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm. Nobody's perfect, and no friendship is all harmony. Zebra is mean to choose Mouse, Moose is not only self-centered but his tantrum is potentially destructive, and yet all is forgiven in the end. Good lesson to learn for real life conflicts among friends.