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My Heart Is Like a Zoo
A New York Times bestseller! My Heart Is Like a Zoo features bright colors, simple sentences, playful animals, and more than 300 hearts for children to count and enjoy. Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick says, "Starting with one simple shape, Michael Hall shows us a nearly infinite number of ways to make a menagerie of love." This award-winning picture book is a must-have for every young reader, who will learn that a heart can be hopeful, silly, happy, rugged, snappy, or lonely. A heart holds every different feeling, and author-artist Michael Hall captures each one with his bold, graphic artwork.
An ideal springboard for conversations about emotions, and for introducing concepts, math, and art projects in the classroom and at home. School Library Journal called it an "outstanding choice for one-on-one sharing."
An ideal springboard for conversations about emotions, and for introducing concepts, math, and art projects in the classroom and at home. School Library Journal called it an "outstanding choice for one-on-one sharing."
32 pages, Hardcover
First published December 22, 2009
5 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
Michael Hall
17 books107 followersMichael Hall is the author/illustrator of The New York Times bestseller, My Heart Is Like a Zoo, as well as the critically acclaimed Perfect Square, It’s an Orange Aardvark, Red: A Crayon’s Story, and Frankencrayon.
Before becoming a children’s author, Michael was an award-winning graphic designer whose work — including graphic identities for the City of Saint Paul, Macalester College, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Hennepin County Medical Center — has been widely recognized for its simple and engaging approach.
Michael lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Before becoming a children’s author, Michael was an award-winning graphic designer whose work — including graphic identities for the City of Saint Paul, Macalester College, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Hennepin County Medical Center — has been widely recognized for its simple and engaging approach.
Michael lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
July 29, 2017
Remember those origami lessons you had in school? You used to make shapes and animals you fancied the most. That paper boat which you made in rainy seasons, everyday.
You would be glad to know that only with a shape of heart from a paper, you can create all the animals' pictures.
I was glad to figure out this information and enjoyed the read.
You would be glad to know that only with a shape of heart from a paper, you can create all the animals' pictures.
I was glad to figure out this information and enjoyed the read.
October 1, 2013
I'm really torn here. The premise of this book is quite clever, a poem comparing love to different kinds of animals - eager as a beaver, steady as a yak, angry as a bear (why bears should be singled out as angry, I'm not sure). It's sort of like John Donne and Dr. Seuss got together and wrote a poem (in writer's heaven, I guess, considering they are both dead). The illustrations are brightly colored heart shapes, done in a collage to create the different animals, very modern art (a "heartist" rather than a cubist). That said, it's very cutesy. I understand why books like this, and Guess How Much I Love You and Todd Parr's multiple books about love and family and emotions exist, I understand why people like them. But I always feel like the books pick themselves up and smack you over the head with themselves. Love, or else (the "or else" is never quite made clear, a very veiled threat). The king of this type of book is Love You Forever which is both adored and despised (like Lady Gaga or the Tea Party). My Heart Is Like A Zoo sits on the same shelf as these types of books, but I think its saved from causing the reader diabetic shock by the clever conceit and the interesting art.
February 11, 2020
needs adventure
January 15, 2014
More than 300 heart shapes are used in this book to illustrate all of the zoo animals that illustrate qualities of the heart. Big, bold full page illustrations couple with big, simple rhyming text to make this a great read-aloud especially for very young readers. I am going to read this for my February baby storytimes...as well as my older group. For the older group, we'll have an after activity where we will take heart shapes and create our own zoo animal.
March 7, 2021
Very simple and effective melding of concept, text, and illustration. Hall's illustrations expand imaginative possibilities through the efficient use of very basic shapes--mostly hearts--to create different animals representing different emotions. That would be solid enough on its own, but Hall then occasionally steps beyond basic similes to expand the fun and imagination into more nuanced moods ("quiet as a caterpillar wearing knitted socks"). That all of these emotions and animals within the zoo of a child's heart also have physical presence as the child's stuffed animals brings everything to a touching finish.
Rowan has a lovely time. He was really into it for a while, then less interested, but we're back to it now, and I honestly have never tired of reading it with him.
Rowan has a lovely time. He was really into it for a while, then less interested, but we're back to it now, and I honestly have never tired of reading it with him.
May 19, 2017
I was not really sure what to expect from this book. I went into it expecting something completely different than what I got. It was amazing. All of the animals were made out of heart shapes. It had a good rhythm to it. Plus one of the pages said, "Happy as a herd of hippos drinking apple juice" and that just sounds totally Southern. LOVED!
March 30, 2022
This is cute, with lots of hearts. Baby is amused, but it's not a fav, and it's no Cat Tale (by the same author). We'll try this book again, but she may be too old for it for a while.
October 7, 2010
My Heart is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall, is a short picture book that creatively uses heart shapes on every page. Hall colorfully creates twenty different animals one would find at the zoo, and poetically gives the reader one or two short lines about each animal. This book would be great to use during a poetry unit, with many simple examples of alliteration, similes, and rhyme. It could be used to model literary terms for High School ELL and elementary students. Of course, “Happy as a herd of hippos drinking apples juice,” would have greater appeal to much younger students.
This book could also be used to for units on shapes, colors, animals, and art. This book could also be used to teach feeling words, exploring the emotions of these animals. He speaks of silly seals, gloomy coyotes, brave lions and cozy clams to name a few. It reminds me of the old ABC books (A is for apple, B is for Baby), but this is more up to-date and more exciting for a child to use as a primer. Each page is a vibrant color and is contrasted with bright heart-shaped animals. This book has a slick, modern look aimed to attract the attention of a child pre-K through first grade. It could be used as a model for children to make a zoo book of their own. It could be used as a vehicle for pre-literate students to express their own feelings or identify feelings that they attribute to different animals. They can also create pictures of their own using shapes and colors creatively, like Hall’s choice of a purple bunny to go with the “Frightened as a rabbit” caption. Children could also count how many hearts they can find in a given picture or throughout the book or in a pre- or post activity to a field trip to the zoo!
This book could also be used to for units on shapes, colors, animals, and art. This book could also be used to teach feeling words, exploring the emotions of these animals. He speaks of silly seals, gloomy coyotes, brave lions and cozy clams to name a few. It reminds me of the old ABC books (A is for apple, B is for Baby), but this is more up to-date and more exciting for a child to use as a primer. Each page is a vibrant color and is contrasted with bright heart-shaped animals. This book has a slick, modern look aimed to attract the attention of a child pre-K through first grade. It could be used as a model for children to make a zoo book of their own. It could be used as a vehicle for pre-literate students to express their own feelings or identify feelings that they attribute to different animals. They can also create pictures of their own using shapes and colors creatively, like Hall’s choice of a purple bunny to go with the “Frightened as a rabbit” caption. Children could also count how many hearts they can find in a given picture or throughout the book or in a pre- or post activity to a field trip to the zoo!
October 22, 2012
Using zoo animals to rhyme with, this book identifies common emotions. In addition to rhymes, each animal is coupled with an illustration to get a better understanding of how they feel. Readers can relate to the angry face a bear might make or how it feels to leap in the air like a jumpy frog.
I would recommend this book for grades 2nd-3rd. Although this book may seem immature, I immediately thought that it could be a useful tool in getting through some major writer's block. At this age, students are expanding their writing and this book could act as a friendly reminder of how they felt in a situation or provide an analogy they could use in their own writing. When writers are so focused on punctuation and forming a sentence, it can be hard to develop a story. The story is usually there, but sometimes it takes a silly reminder to take the edge off and get their wheels turning.
An activity I would have to go along with this story is a concept map. I would challenge students to could up with a main idea and expand on it by using emotions. I would require questions such as: "How did it make you feel?" "How did it make others feel?" "What is an analogy you could use to pair with that?" After the students complete this, I would challenge them to translate their ideas into a story. Furthermore, I would ask them to share with a friend and get fed back. Getting a student's pencil to their paper is half the challenge of teaching them how to write!
Hall, Michael. 2010. My Heart Is Like a Zoo. HarperColin's Children's Books.
I would recommend this book for grades 2nd-3rd. Although this book may seem immature, I immediately thought that it could be a useful tool in getting through some major writer's block. At this age, students are expanding their writing and this book could act as a friendly reminder of how they felt in a situation or provide an analogy they could use in their own writing. When writers are so focused on punctuation and forming a sentence, it can be hard to develop a story. The story is usually there, but sometimes it takes a silly reminder to take the edge off and get their wheels turning.
An activity I would have to go along with this story is a concept map. I would challenge students to could up with a main idea and expand on it by using emotions. I would require questions such as: "How did it make you feel?" "How did it make others feel?" "What is an analogy you could use to pair with that?" After the students complete this, I would challenge them to translate their ideas into a story. Furthermore, I would ask them to share with a friend and get fed back. Getting a student's pencil to their paper is half the challenge of teaching them how to write!
Hall, Michael. 2010. My Heart Is Like a Zoo. HarperColin's Children's Books.
April 9, 2010
Hundreds of hearts come together to shape some animals both familiar and exotic in this rhyming romp through the various phases of a child’s heart before they retire after a busy day (as busy as a zookeeper's even!).
My Heart is Like a Zoo (2010) by Michael Hall introduces children to a variety of new concepts beyond emotions and feelings. The varied palette for both animals and backgrounds can introduce colors as easily as the animals themselves can be used for a counting exercise. Hall uses hearts and the occasional circle or rectangle to create all of the artwork inviting children to identify the various shapes and try to make some shape animals of their own. The large text and boldly colored artwork carry wide appeal as do Hall’s clever turns of phrase about steady yaks and happy hippos.
And, of course, as the cover shows very nicely the book is totally adorable! Hall's artwork and writing is fantastic and elevates what could have been a twee, simple book into a complex and entertaining picture book for readers of all ages.
An attractive, versatile book My Heart is Like a Zoo is guaranteed to become a story time favorite.
My Heart is Like a Zoo (2010) by Michael Hall introduces children to a variety of new concepts beyond emotions and feelings. The varied palette for both animals and backgrounds can introduce colors as easily as the animals themselves can be used for a counting exercise. Hall uses hearts and the occasional circle or rectangle to create all of the artwork inviting children to identify the various shapes and try to make some shape animals of their own. The large text and boldly colored artwork carry wide appeal as do Hall’s clever turns of phrase about steady yaks and happy hippos.
And, of course, as the cover shows very nicely the book is totally adorable! Hall's artwork and writing is fantastic and elevates what could have been a twee, simple book into a complex and entertaining picture book for readers of all ages.
An attractive, versatile book My Heart is Like a Zoo is guaranteed to become a story time favorite.
April 7, 2010
I love this combination of boldly colorful illustrations with cleverly done rhyming text. The animals in the illustrations are made almost entirely out of hearts of various sizes and colors that overlap. It is amazing how such a simple concept can create such adorable, cuddly-looking animals. The text may not be the most amazing thing ever written, but it made me laugh several times. The book had me at the "herd of hippos drinking apple juice."
I don't know that many children will actually get the whole "my heart is like a zoo" thing. (I, for one, totally missed the fact that the book was supposed to be a way to discuss emotions until I read the front flap - I don't usually associate the heart with emotions other than love (especially in children's books), so that sort of went over my head, I guess. I certainly noticed that there were lots of different ways of feeling mentioned in the book, but I didn't really get what it had to do with the heart. Ah well.) But I think children will certainly enjoy the illustrations and the rhyming text.
I don't know that many children will actually get the whole "my heart is like a zoo" thing. (I, for one, totally missed the fact that the book was supposed to be a way to discuss emotions until I read the front flap - I don't usually associate the heart with emotions other than love (especially in children's books), so that sort of went over my head, I guess. I certainly noticed that there were lots of different ways of feeling mentioned in the book, but I didn't really get what it had to do with the heart. Ah well.) But I think children will certainly enjoy the illustrations and the rhyming text.
January 7, 2015
My Heart is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall (2009)
Picture Book, 30 pages
Full of fascinating heart-shaped animals and cleaver similes, My Heart Is Like a Zoo is a whimsical cross between handcrafted Scandinavian hearts and colorful comparisons. Both parents and children will love examining these creatively constructed animals on the colorfully contrasted pages. Teachers may even use this as a great resource to teach basic adjectives or similes. As a possible jumping-point for penning their own similes, fourth through sixth graders will relish the opportunity to be read to again while receiving grammar reinforcement. I would also share this book with parents who want a good one-on-one read to have at home with their pre-readers. It echoes childhood games that show how big our hearts are.
Picture Book, 30 pages
Full of fascinating heart-shaped animals and cleaver similes, My Heart Is Like a Zoo is a whimsical cross between handcrafted Scandinavian hearts and colorful comparisons. Both parents and children will love examining these creatively constructed animals on the colorfully contrasted pages. Teachers may even use this as a great resource to teach basic adjectives or similes. As a possible jumping-point for penning their own similes, fourth through sixth graders will relish the opportunity to be read to again while receiving grammar reinforcement. I would also share this book with parents who want a good one-on-one read to have at home with their pre-readers. It echoes childhood games that show how big our hearts are.
April 21, 2012
The illustrations are lovely and large and bright. The narrative, however, is a bit awkward in places. The premise is that a child is listing all the attributes of his heart as they are represented by animals, and I don't understand why some of them were chosen over other possible alternatives. The book has already been returned to the library, but one of them I remember was something like "My heart is ... scared like an antelope" (totally paraphrasing). As an adult, I was like, What does that mean? Fear is natural, obvs, but what does it mean to have a fearful heart? And the book just lists these items; there's nothing but a surface mention. So I don't really think that the text was thought about carefully, and the book comes across like a vehicle for the graphic-design-y images of animals.
July 5, 2017
The title of the book is what caught my attention for who doesn't figure out that their heart is like a zoo sometimes? But of course being a children book this isn't going to get into the mess and heartaches of a human heart but to explore the newly discovered feelings that children will experience in their own young years.
I love the concept that the book offers in giving feelings a name for children and then matching it up with animals although some of the choices I wonder about how they chose them. By exploring these feelings and giving them a face the book gives parents an easy way of teaching children their feelings and maybe it can be a emotional checklist during the night if someone feels like doing that.
The pictures are bright and beautiful with each animal having at least one heart included to remind the reader what the book's motif is.
Definitely a great starter book.
I love the concept that the book offers in giving feelings a name for children and then matching it up with animals although some of the choices I wonder about how they chose them. By exploring these feelings and giving them a face the book gives parents an easy way of teaching children their feelings and maybe it can be a emotional checklist during the night if someone feels like doing that.
The pictures are bright and beautiful with each animal having at least one heart included to remind the reader what the book's motif is.
Definitely a great starter book.
July 19, 2013
Audience: Primary
Genre: Non-Fiction Picture Book
Fiction Twin Text-Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
My heart is like a zoo is a story that has a different zoo animal listed on every page. It is a very simple book with few words but really cute pictures. I would use the book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type as a fiction twin to this book because it has a number of farm animals mentioned in it and also really great pictures. I would use these two books together to expand the students thinking that there are different types of animals that would be found in different places. This would lead to discussions of the different types of animals that you may find at the aquarium, in an aviary, or at your house.
Genre: Non-Fiction Picture Book
Fiction Twin Text-Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
My heart is like a zoo is a story that has a different zoo animal listed on every page. It is a very simple book with few words but really cute pictures. I would use the book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type as a fiction twin to this book because it has a number of farm animals mentioned in it and also really great pictures. I would use these two books together to expand the students thinking that there are different types of animals that would be found in different places. This would lead to discussions of the different types of animals that you may find at the aquarium, in an aviary, or at your house.
January 22, 2010
I really love the idea and the illustrations in this book, but some of the actual simlies are pretty ridiculous, so for that, I can't give it more stars. The author describes his heart as being like many animals and cleverly illustrates each animal with heart shapes in vivid colors. This is great. But remember, we're describing the heart. Where "eager as a beaver" "steady as a yak" and "happy as a herd of hippos drinking apple juice" are qualities that are appropriate for a heart, "snappy as a crab" "chatty as a jay" and "bothered as a bull with a hornet in its hair" are not. It doesn't really work for me.
January 27, 2010
This is a very cute book about zoo animals. All the animals are made of hearts and are very colorful. This book could be an introduction for a lesson on alliteration, rhyming, similes or even a simple Valentine's Day story. Because all the animals are made of hearts, students could count how many hearts can be found on one page or even the entire book.
Reading Level: Pre-K- 1st grade
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Zoo Animals
Use: Read Aloud & Independent Reading
Literary Elements: Alliteration, rhyming & Similes
Images/Text: All the animals have hearts for heads, noses and legs. The drawings are simple but are very engaging to students.
Reading Level: Pre-K- 1st grade
Genre: Picture Book
Topic: Zoo Animals
Use: Read Aloud & Independent Reading
Literary Elements: Alliteration, rhyming & Similes
Images/Text: All the animals have hearts for heads, noses and legs. The drawings are simple but are very engaging to students.
April 7, 2012
All the animals in this colorful and vibrant book, from the hungry heron to the silly seal are created from heart shapes. The book uses animals to express the different kinds of love we can feel, from thoughtful to brave.
Hall’s digital illustrations are precise, yet playful as he manipulates the simple heart shape into different animal forms. The humble heart shape is celebrated by creating brightly colored animals. The rhyming text is brief and full of adjectives and alliteration.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
Hall’s digital illustrations are precise, yet playful as he manipulates the simple heart shape into different animal forms. The humble heart shape is celebrated by creating brightly colored animals. The rhyming text is brief and full of adjectives and alliteration.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
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June 17, 2012This book is great for children in preschool and up. Four years through seven years in my opinion would love this book best. It's a cute take on all the characteristics of the author's heart. This picture book is appealing because of it's colorful pictures of each animal made out of hearts and the emotions on each page for each animal. For example, the book contains emotions such as: brave as a lion, snappy as a crab, and thoughtful as a owl. The book is fast-paced and easy to read and for the children to follow. The audience will have no problem joining in as a teacher or parent reads aloud. This book was a IRA Children’s and Young Adults' Book Award 2011 primary nonfiction winner.
February 10, 2020
I have used this for programming and it definitely leads into a craft. A different kind of story for Valentine or animal/zoo story times. 1/1/10
Used for story time and the children liked calling out the animals they recognized. 2/11/14
Was very popular at story time this year, though one girl wanted to point out all the hearts. Another boy made his Mom move closer for the story. (Need to remember to print out some of the heart animals to color.) 2/10/15
Used again.
Used in Preschool Story Time
Used for story time and the children liked calling out the animals they recognized. 2/11/14
Was very popular at story time this year, though one girl wanted to point out all the hearts. Another boy made his Mom move closer for the story. (Need to remember to print out some of the heart animals to color.) 2/10/15
Used again.
Used in Preschool Story Time
January 31, 2013
This is an awesome book not only does it teach children about the different feelings they may have it also teaches them that animals have feelings too. I also enjoyed the illustration of this book it is very creative because all the pictures are made of hearts. the book also has lots of exotic animals.
Let the children pick their favorite animal from the story and then they will make that animal with precut hearts. Depending on their age and skill level they may be able to cut the hearts out themselves.
Let the children pick their favorite animal from the story and then they will make that animal with precut hearts. Depending on their age and skill level they may be able to cut the hearts out themselves.
March 30, 2016
My heart is in love with this title, first it is the graphic design using the heart shape to form the zoo animals, but what a wonderful subtle message using similes to describe what qualities a heart can have A profound piece of art and thought is this picture book.
My favorite: hopeful as a hungry heron fishing for a snack
The only other artist I am aware of that uses this technique of shapes to make animals is the late Charley Harper whose work I adore. Anyone know of other artists using this technique?
My favorite: hopeful as a hungry heron fishing for a snack
The only other artist I am aware of that uses this technique of shapes to make animals is the late Charley Harper whose work I adore. Anyone know of other artists using this technique?
March 21, 2010
fabulous artwork. Vivid colors. All animals made out of hearts. I could totally see a craft/art lesson using this. I read this a few wks ago @ work, but I shared for nighttime with charlie today. He paid wonderful attention to it. ehe enjoyed the bright colors,the different animals, and when finished with the bk he turned it back to the beginning again.
definitely buying a cop of this for us to keep.
definitely buying a cop of this for us to keep.
January 12, 2011
Who could resist that cute lion on the cover!? Certainly not me!!! ;-) I very much enjoyed this sweet little book. The text is simple rhymes, saying all the feelings in one's heart that are like an animal i.e., "my heart is brave as a lion" and so on. The illustrations are the real fun, though, as each animal is made up (some entirely so) of hearts! The final illustration is just perfect and ties everything together beautifully. So creative, and very fun for Valentine's Day, too.
March 29, 2017
Read at family story time on 7/30/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby Lap Time on 4/19/12 and 4/20/12: storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/2012/04...
Read at Pajama Story Time on 2/13/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby Lap Time on 2/14/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at preschool story time on 2/15/17: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby Lap Time on 4/19/12 and 4/20/12: storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/2012/04...
Read at Pajama Story Time on 2/13/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby Lap Time on 2/14/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at preschool story time on 2/15/17: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
August 4, 2010
A child describes characteristics of numerous animals found at a zoo. The adjectives used to describe each animal are succinct. Each animal is illustrated using a heart shape. The illustrations have bold colors. At the end of the book, you find out that the zoo is the child's collection of stuffed animals. Tooo adorable!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2011
Gorgeous animal book, in which all the animals are created out of heart shapes. The text is short but uses enough interesting words to help build vocabulary (words like "portly"), and the colorful illustrations with their strong shapes are a joy. Could be used for a lot of different storytime themes: animals, shapes, zoo, Valentine's Day, etc.
January 25, 2015
32 months - I wish I had come across this book when O was a year old, she was a bit too old for this one but it's a very nice picture book. Bold colors, simple drawings incorporating hearts and a fun rhyme.
Reading this with my 1 1/2 yr old boy and he has little to no interest. Cute but just not hitting the target with my kids.
Reading this with my 1 1/2 yr old boy and he has little to no interest. Cute but just not hitting the target with my kids.
February 1, 2012
Hall arranges the heart shape in order to create all sorts of different animals & describes their moods. Excellent rhyme scheme & a great way to introduce different emotions & feelings to young children. You can even omit pages in order to shorten the book for a young toddler audience. Great for Valentine's, shapes, animals.
June 10, 2012
Audience: ages 2 to 10 interested in art, language, or animals
Appeal: creative pictures using shapes and bold colors, similes help decode unknown words, and general applications
List: IRA Primary Non-fiction 2011
Good for teaching traits, similes, art, and language. Cute book and could teach animals. Lends itself to multiple disciplines. Try to use during week 1 of school this year!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews