Zzzookeeper

by John Hutton, Doug Cenko (Illustrations)

After the zookeeper goes to bed for the night, her animals decide it's the perfect time for a party! Lions and alligators, penguins and giraffes, creatures from all habitats sneak out for some late-night mischief. But when the party starts to get a little too wild, will the animals be caught in their tracks? Bouncy, rhyming, and filled with silly animal fun, Zzzookeeper is sure to become a new bedtime favorite.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2018

About the author

Dr. John S. Hutton is a pediatrician and researcher at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, owner/overseer of blue manatee children’s bookstore and founder of blue manatee press. His research and advocacy interests are the influence of home reading environment and shared reading on early brain development, the health effects of screen-based media, and the creation of children's books to effectively convey infant and child health information. His research was the first to show a measurable effect of home reading exposure prior to kindergarten on brain function, using functional MRI. His Baby Unplugged and Love Baby Healthy book series have been distributed to over 1 million families nationwide, often via statewide public health initiatives. A recovering novelist, he has won awards for his writing in several genres, and attended writing workshops in Iowa City and Squaw Valley, CA. He lives with his family, dogs, cat, rabbit, fish, and a whole bunch of Bees, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Reviews

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Zzzookeeper, written by Dr. John Hutton and illustrated by Doug Cenko, a fun bedtime romp about some mischievous zoo animals.

When the sun goes down and the zookeeper goes to sleep, that’s when the animals of the zoo get a chance to go a little wild. From the biggest crocodile to the smallest naked mole rat, nearly all the animals use their twilight hours to creep out and cut loose a bit. The big cats play in their ball pit, the birds in the aviary throw a rocking party, the manatees are having a birthday bash, and even the sloth and the slow loris get in on the fun. But when it’s time for everyone to settle down for their own nighttime snooze, the bedtime monitor Elephant is on the case. At last, even the rowdiest of the beasts is snuggled into bed – just in time to evade detection by the zookeeper.

Very cute! Between the bouncy rhymes and the delightfully energetic illustrations, this was a fun imagining of what zoo animals get up to after-hours. The activities chosen are fun and fanciful rather than truly mischievous, which makes staying up past bedtime – a common childhood transgression – the worst offense. There were a few text couplets that stumbled a bit in rhythm, and something about the way the elephants were drawn – trunk detached from their mouth – was slightly off-putting, but these were minor complaints. For the most part, this was a really enjoyable story that was a good length for bedtime and that JJ loved. Definitely Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Juliana Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the zookeeper dreams of all the safaris she's been on, the zoo animals are wide awake and planning mischief. But the rhino and the elephant have a plan of their own, and before the zookeeper wakes up, they get everyone back to sleep.

[Bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story about what happens at the zoo after the zookeeper goes to bed! Cute illustrations.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the animal keeper sleeps the animals have a hard time getting ready for bed. Will they ever go to sleep? Nice nonfiction companion on the animals at the end. Preschool and up

[John Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fans of Goodnight Gorilla, discover all manner of mischief at the zoo when the zookeeper is snoozzzing away, until elephant intervenes of course.

[Bailey Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super cute book with lots of personality! The animals have so much they get up to when the zookeeper is asleep and it's so fun to get a peek into their world.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute illustrations.

[Tracy Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book for zoo themed story time