Zella, Zack, and Zodiac

by Bill Peet

Zella the zebra helps Zack the ostrich when he is young and helpless. When he grows up Zack returns the favor by saving Zella's young offspring from a lion.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Africa, Animals, Kids

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1985

About the author

Bill Peet was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios. He joined Disney in 1937 and worked on The Jungle Book, Song of the South, Cinderella, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, Goliath II, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Fantasia, The Three Caballeros, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other stories.

After successes developing short stories for Disney, Peet had his first book published, Hubert's Hair Raising Adventure.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our story takes place on the plains of Africa. An Ostrich was born late and his family had fled lions and he was all alone. A heard of Zebra runs by and a young Zebra stops to help out our newborn. Zella adopts the Ostrich and calls him Zack and teaches him how to survive. Zack grows and soon towers over the herd. Eventually, Zella has her own baby and Zodiac is born with giant hooves that get in his way. One day, Zodiac is in trouble and a lion is about to eat him when Zack saves the little fella and runs away, repaying Zella for all her care.

I have become a fan of Bill’s. He is a great story teller and his artwork has so much motion in it. This actually doesn’t look like a Disney cartoon. His style evolved and this looks different. It’s a good story and I would love to have seen Disney make a short of this. They still could. It would make a cute story.

The nephew thought this book was ok. He was rather quiet during the reading. He was surprised how big the Ostrich got. He was glad that the Lion didn’t catch the baby Zebra. He gave this book 3 stars. He thought the Ostrich hanging with the Zebra’s was rather funny.

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many of Bill Peet’s works in the past, but I had never read a story from Bill Peet that dealt with family issues such as adopting a child and handle the issue with such care. “Zella, Zack and Zodiac” has proven to be one of Bill Peet’s most heartwarming books that I had ever read!

The story starts off with a baby ostrich chick named Zack who had just hatched out of his egg and it was then that he discovered that his mother had left him when she heard a lion’s roar in the distance and had taken the other chicks with her. Suddenly at that moment, a zebra herd came zooming by and Zack tried to yell up at them to help him, but none of the zebras took any notice of Zack. However, one zebra managed to hear Zack and came to his aid. The zebra was named Zella and she decided to raise Zack as if he was her own child and the two had so many dangerous and heartwarming adventures on the savanna together. But unfortunately, as Zack the ostrich chick got much older, he started to ignore Zella and Zella started to worry about whether or not Zack remembered how she raised him for all those years and if he still considers her his mother. Luckily, it turned out that Zack remembered Zella and how she raised him and he ended up greeting her after a few years apart from her. It turns out that Zella is pregnant and she is expecting a baby soon and she planned to call her child Zodiac. When Zodiac was finally born, Zella was overjoyed, but then she realized that there was something different about Zodiac…

What is so unique about Zodiac and are Zella and Zack still together?

Read this book to find out!

In all the times that I had read Bill Peet’s books, I never would have thought that I would stumble upon a Bill Peet book that would detail the importance of family while also discussing about adopting a child who is different from you. Bill Peet has done a splendid job at portraying the relationship between Zella the Zebra and Zack the Ostrich as they truly care for each other, despite their different appearances and I loved the way that Zella went to great lengths to protect Zack from any danger in the savanna as it shows how much of a good adopted mother she is towards Zack. I also loved the fact that Bill Peet made this book much more heartwarming than most of his works as it focuses on a zebra mother’s love for both her adopted child and her real child and it made the book extremely touching to read through. Bill Peet’s artwork is as beautiful as ever as we get to see the savanna in all its glory and I loved seeing the images of Zack riding on Zella’s back as they run across the savanna as it makes it a truly iconic image for this book!

Overall, “Zella, Zack and Zodiac” is a truly heartwarming book about the importance of family and how two unlikely species managed to become a truly close and effective family. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book, unless the scenes of the various predators going after Zella, Zack and Zodiac might scare some children.

I would like to thank Wickedshizuku for recommending me this book!

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Jo ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love and adore the work of Bill Peet. His books are perfect in each and every way and with each book I read, I fall more and more in love with his stories. They're all beautifully illustrated and deliver gentle lessons using animals that are sure to win over even the most reluctant reader. Zella, Zack and Zodiac is definitely a new favourite!

Zella the zebra is passing by with her herd when she stumbles upon a lonely and scared baby ostrich who has been abandoned by his mother. She adopts the little ostrich, naming him Zach and allows him to ride on her back where he is kept safe from danger and predators. Eventually Zach becomes too big to ride on Zella's back and spends more and more time on his own and Zella fears that Zack has forgotten all about her and how she took him under her wing when he was very small.

They meet amongst the herd one day where Zella shares the news that she's expecting a baby of her own and soon little Zodiac is born. Zodiac is perfect in every way, except for his enormous feet that cause him to stumble and fall if he ever attempts to trot. This unfortunately puts him in danger of becoming prey for the lions that are lurking nearby...

I don't want to give anyway the entire story, but the ending is beautiful and lovely and perfect, just like all of the endings of Bill Peet's books. <3

A child's home library just isn't complete without Bill's books!

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is yet another winner from Bill Peet.


Every time I looked at an animal in the illustrations, I smiled. That’s the effect they had on me.

This is a lovely little story about parenthood, caretaking, dependence, independence, growing up, and love.

[Julio Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about how one day an Ostrich-chick, Zack, is saved by a zebra, Zella, and eventually grows up to protect her colt, Zodiac. 🦓🐦 This story is told entirely in rhymes.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within this crazy world that we live in there is often a lot of misunderstood ideas of mothers, who they are and what part they should play. For those who are actually in the role and normally as a stand-in it can be a bristly situation while one that is full of worries such as whether or not you have raised them right, if they remember you and whether you have touched their lives. And Bill Peet confronts these issues with this particular book.

The story is wonderfully done in rhyme and that showcases the author's talents for not many people are able to rhyme umbrella or some of the other words that he throws around. At the same time within his rhymes he shows that natural personalities of his characters and the map of what it is like to take on the burden to raise one that isn't your own.

The illustrations are not classic Peet in as much sense as the animals have maintained more an animal-like appearance with a few human faces although the villainous animals seem to have been more humanized. Furthermore the reader is taken into the savannah and although there isn't a large showcase of the numerous animals one would find there the few characters that are mentioned and/or shown are typical of some of the more famous creatures that one thinks about when it comes to the African plains.

All in all a sweet and enjoyable story while one of those few heart-warming stories that would be great to share with your mother on Mother's Day.

[Luann · Rating 4 out of 5]

How fun to find a Bill Peet I hadn't read yet! This is a story about the love of mother to child and the good that can happen when you do a good turn. Classic Bill Peet with the awesome illustrations to match.

[Haaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book with a(nother) good message. The story teaches children to remember their humble beginnings even after they've made it because those that have helped you are not beneath you.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this little story from Bill Peet, as did my son, who has become one of my favorite children’s book writers this year. Zella the zebra discovers an abandoned ostrich chick and rescues him by letting him ride on her back. She adopts him and names him Zack. As he gets older and can no longer ride on her back, they become distant. Eventually she has her own child, an awkward colt named Zodiac who is always tripping over his own hooves, a real danger when predators are lurking all around. Zella believes she has lost Zack forever until he rescues Zodiac from a lion. From then on, he is Zodiac’s protector. Recommended for ages 5-8, 3 stars.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm usually not as fond of his rhyming books, but I make an exception for this one. The Z-names roll off the tongue, and the fierce loyalty between mother and funny-looking adopted son gets me right in the heart every time. Plus, who can forget Zodiac, the colt with the disproportionately giant hooves?

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zella, Zack and Zodiac might work in a preschool classroom for studying the letter Z or looking at African animals. It's a little long for a picture book. There's nothing wrong with the story, not really -- it's basically about adoption and repaying debts -- but it also isn't really my thing.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, inspiring story of an ostrich and a couple of zebras who became not only friends, but family - very touching.

[Meadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Peet is awesome.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really would be nice to learn what happened to the big-footed colt

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story!

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Peet's finest, in terms of story. Zella adopts a young ostrich chick, who in turn eventually protects her biological zebra child from dangers. Family focused and just really a sweet story.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my most favorite Bill Peet book, but still a keeper.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young ostrich is rescued by a mother zebra, and grows up to return the favor.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable rhyming story with Bill Peet's great expressive illustrations.

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great lesson this teaches! Never forget a debt, and your life will be richly rewarded. By either helping or receiving the help.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This actually deserves 3.5 stars, but I don't like it well enough to keep on my shelves. The art is fun, and I like the message that doing good deeds may result in unexpected paybacks.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a precious story about helping each other.

[Iru Sai · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, endearing story! :)

[Debbie Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love all of Bill Peet's books. Not one has ever disappointed me and the illustrations are some of the prettiest illustrations out there. This book was such a relatable book. While I'm not a zebra, I am an aunt who took on taking care of a child that wasn't biologically mine. Zella takes care of Zack because she feels for him even though she knows she isn't his mother she has motherly instincts to keep him safe. She knows that by taking care of him it can be a struggle and she does have her moments from time to time but in the end, she gets the greatest reward that one can get. She is shown appreciation and love from Zack. He lets her see that it wasn't all in vain and he's grown up to be a kind-hearted ostrich. Such a good book.

[Simon Jongekryg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zack is an ostrich who was born without his mother to take care of him. One day Zella finds Zack and decides that she will raise this ostrich as her own until he grows up and can protect himself from the dangers all around. When Zack grows up he ends up staying with Zella. One day Zella has a baby boy zebra named Zodiac. Now Zodiac is the one that needs to be taken care of. A lion almost captured Zodiac but thanks to Zack he was saved. This book was unique becaue it utilized rhyming throughout the entire story which made it flow really nicely. The story also had the underlying theme of friendship and helping eachother which is a positive thing for students to learn at a young age.

[Annburnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about an ostrich who grew up with a zebra.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story on the African plains.

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome book really liked it.

[Umfaa]

Bonolo and I discovered this delightful author by browsing the shelves at the library. He recognized the Zebra on the cover and wanted to know what the other words were that started with Z. His Z vocabulary consisted of Zebra and Zoo before this book. It is a fun read. The author has a list of books that all teach lessons.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theme: friendship/helping one another/rhyming
Summary: A story about a zebra who helps an ostrich when he is young and helpless and when the ostrich gets older he returns the favor by saving the zebra's baby from a lion.