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Zoo Books for Kids

19 Children’s Books about Zoos

Posted on December 4, 2013May 19, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

From board books to fiction, take a look at these fantastic zoo books for kids! Perfect for learning about animals and a visit to the zoo.

A trip to the zoo is such a joyous occasion, isn’t it? Our urban zoo in Boston is a little sad, so we typically go to the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, about an hour away.

It reminds me, on a smaller scale, of the great San Diego Zoo which is about 2 1/2 hours from where I grew up and is the zoo by which I measure all zoos.

Top 10 Zoo Books for Kids

These zoo books for kids — zoo picture books and chapter books — are inspired by the Newbery award winner, The One and Only Ivan. Is there a favorite zoo children’s book you’d like to add to the list? Please help me out and I’ll add it to the list. Thank you!

p.s. If I Ran The Zoo by Dr. Seuss is racist, so I removed it from my list.

 

10. A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin Stead

In a perfect world, zoo animals and zoo keepers would be best friends, just like zoo keeper Amos McGee. When he gets sick and misses a day at work, the animals come by to his house to check on him and help him get better. The artwork by Erin Stead, the author’s wife, is stunning.

She uses carefully rendered pencil drawings with what I think are monotype prints. The results are visually arresting. [Caldecott picture book, ages 2 and up]


9. Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

I love the subtle details in this bedtime favorite of ours. Did you see the photos on the wall of the zookeeper’s house? It’s the animals as babies! We also like to track the red balloon and the mouse with the banana for the gorilla.

And I have to mention the toys each zoo animal has in their cage … be sure to find those as well! [picture book, ages 1 and up]

8. Midnight at the Zoo by Faye Hanson

The lions, meerkats, and monkeys are lethargic when Max and Mia visit the zoo with their class. When they get left behind at the zoo, they discover that something magical happens at midnight. This is Madagascar meets The Night at the Museum. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

7. Be Nice to Spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham

I grew up with this vintage picture book but it seems to be virtually unknown these days. Margaret Bloy Graham is probably better known for her beloved Harry the Dirty Dog series. Billy’s pet spider Martha is left at the zoo and suddenly all the animals are happy because she’s taken care of their insect problem.

But when she is forced into hiding for a thorough zoo cleaning, everyone realizes how important spiders are to the zoo ecosystem. I love this message because my kids are afraid of spiders and this picture book helps us to appreciate them. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

6. Don’t Feed the Boy by Irene Latham

In some ways, 11-year-old Whit is like an animal at the zoo where his parents work. He is homeschooled here at the zoo and doesn’t leave the premises much. When he meets “Bird Girl” who comes each day to draw the birds, he finally has the chance to talk to someone his age.

His friendship with Stella (aka Bird Girl) deepens and he learns of her troubled home and wants to help but is she asking too much of him? [chapter book, ages 9 and up]

5. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Finding the right pet is challenging but luckily the nice folks at the zoo are very helpful! We love this lift-the-flap book and can’t believe that it’s celebrating its 30th year! [interactive picture book, ages 1 and up]

4. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle pair up again with this endangered animal version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I think it’s never too early for kids to learn about our fragile planet; it will be they, after all, who will have to save it! [picture book, ages 1 and up]

3. Put Me In The Zoo by Robert Lopshire

My son loved, loved, loved this series. I didn’t realize that it was a three-book set, but I finally found the last one in a used book sale at our elementary school.

A talented animal can do wondrous things with colors and circles and it thinks the zoo is the perfect place to live but the two children it befriends convince it that there is an even better place to aspire towards. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

2. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Two of my kids’ teachers told me that this was an amazing book last year so I bought it but hesitated because I was afraid it would be one of those sad, urban zoo stories. I was so wrong to wait to read this Newbery-winning chapter book!

The voices of each animal, as written by Katherine Applegate, manage to convey not just their story of how they came to this urban sad zoo, but their personalities as if we could see into their souls.

And Ivan, the Silverback Gorilla, is a mensch of a gorilla, called upon by his friend Stella the elephant to take care of the new baby elephant Ruby and find a way to get her into a safer environment. Luckily Ivan is both smart and artistic and has human friends with artistic sensibilities.

You will cheer as you weep with emotion as you turn the final pages of the book! It does not disappoint! [chapter book, ages 9 and up]

1. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

This picture book often makes the Banned and Challenged book list each year.  It’s based on a true zoo story:

The book is based on the story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Roy and Silo were observed performing behaviors typically seen in penguin couples, such as bowing to one another.

Roy and Silo made a nest together and seemed to be trying to hatch a rock that resembled an egg. When zookeepers realized that these two males had formed a couple, they gave them an egg to hatch.

This egg was obtained from a male-female penguin couple, named Betty and Porkey, who had two eggs and could not care for both at once. Roy and Silo took turns sitting on the egg, and eventually, it hatched. The female chick was named “Tango” by the zookeepers. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Zoo Books Honorable Mentions

When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle

Review by Ms. Yingling Reads:

“This was an enthralling read, in the vein of Boyne’s Stay Where You Are and Then Leave (2014). There are so many untold facets of World War II, and the fate of zoos is harrowing and yet fascinating. When I visited London in 2000, I have vague memories of seeing an aviary, perhaps in Regent’s Park, that had escaped the bombing. That stuck with me and made When the Sky Falls feel even closer to home. An excellent read.” [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle

The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington

Review from Children’s Books Heal:

“This is a magical adventure about Lex’s unique relationship with the African elephant, Nyah, and a mysterious ghost, who both save her life on the night the tornado sweeps through the zoo. Lex feels a connection to Nyah, who communicates with her telepathically. Nyah leads Lex to find Miss Amanda, who insists she’s a “misplaced spirit,” who has some unfinished business to attend to that involves a hidden treasure.” [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

This Zoo Is Not For You by Ross Collins

Platypus interviews at the zoo and the zoo animals summarily reject it in an unkind way. Luckily, they realize their mistake and make amends in this rhyming story about inclusion. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Ann of Doodles and Jots has some great recommendations: Zoo-ology, ZooZical, My Heart is Like a Zoo and Color Zoo.

Zoo-ology by Joelle Jolivet

ZooZical by Judy Sierra and Marc Brown

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra and Marc Brown

My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall

 Color Zoo by Lois Elhert

Catherine of Story Snug has a wonderful suggestion. Her review is here.

Supermarket Zoo by Caryl Hart

To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

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20 thoughts on “19 Children’s Books about Zoos”

  1. Catherine says:
    December 4, 2013 at 5:06 am

    Great list – we love Dear Zoo and Amos McGee. Our favourite zoo book is Supermarket Zoo by Caryl Hart 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:44 am

      Thanks Catherine,
      I have a lot updating to do!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Erica says:
    December 4, 2013 at 9:05 am

    What a fun idea for a list, Mia! I read Dear Zoo at library story time and it’s always a hit.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Hi Erica,
      I didn’t know you read at your library! That is so nice!!! Dear Zoo is one of our favorites too but we got it as a baby gift for my middle child so it was an older discovery for us.

      Reply
  3. Jenny says:
    December 4, 2013 at 9:49 am

    Oh, I love this list. The Put Me in the Zoo were a favorite of mine when I was little. We don’t have them in our library, but I might need to add them. My daughter has read and re-read The One and only Ivan several times. I especially like how this list has a little of something for all age groups, which is great considering my kids are 1 1/2 and 6.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Hi Jenny,
      I have three kids, each about 2 and a half years apart which is why, I think, I always have a range of ages. My son especially loved Put Me in the Zoo and I had loved it as a child. The rest of the series is only for the serious fan. My son liked them but I think the first one is the best. My other kids did not care for the sequels.

      Reply
  4. The Common Mom says:
    December 4, 2013 at 10:31 am

    Goodnight, Gorilla was a huge favorite at our house. I’ll never forget the crying jag (my daughter’s, not mine) when it got lost under the sofa for a couple of nights. Best picture book ever!

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:41 am

      Hi The Common Mom,
      Oh no! Losing Goodnight, Gorilla sounds traumatic!! I think I would cry too. I’m so glad you found it! Do you and your daughter ever look for that red balloon on every page spread? We loved doing that! Also the paintings in the zoo keeper’s house, the zoo animals’ stuffed toys, and of course, the mouse dragging the banana for the gorilla. Love this book too!

      Reply
  5. Natalie says:
    December 4, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    We read most of picture books on your list, and now I am very interested in Don’t Feed the Boy and Ivan book.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:39 am

      Hi Natalie,
      I hope you enjoy them. We loved The One and Only Ivan which won last year’s Newbery! The Don’t Feed the Boy book is quieter with a sadder feel.

      Reply
  6. maryanne @ mama smiles says:
    December 5, 2013 at 3:21 pm

    What a fun theme for a book list! We have read and enjoyed several of these zoo books 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:21 am

      Thanks MaryAnne! Maybe you will be able to make it to the San Diego Zoo at some point. You are drivable distance now 🙂 though it’s 8-9 hours.

      Reply
  7. Ann says:
    December 5, 2013 at 6:56 pm

    Great theme! Tango and Ivan sound so touching. I think we’ll start with Tango. We also like Zoo-ology, ZooZical, My Heart is Like a Zoo, and Color Zoo. I feel like there’s more though!

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:18 am

      Hi Ann,
      Adding your books to my list! I totally forgot about ZooZical and I want to read your other ones! Thanks so much!

      Reply
  8. Anna says:
    December 7, 2013 at 6:55 am

    Love it! A Sick Day for Amos McGee is one of my all time favorites. Need to check out Be Nice to Spiders — thanks for linking up!

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      December 7, 2013 at 10:06 am

      Hi Anna,
      Be Nice to Spiders is a vintage book … sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who read it but it’s a nice story!

      Reply
  9. Tessa Tanda says:
    August 27, 2017 at 2:05 pm

    I hope you can include my book; Help to Save the Zoo Trip by Tessa Tanda.
    It is an interactive, humorous, and educational picture book for kids aged 3 to 8, full of interesting facts and fun activities related to Zoo Animals. Enjoy!

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      April 24, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      Thanks so much for the heads up about your book Tessa! It sounds great!

      ‘Help to save the Zoo Trip’ is a humorous picture book about a typical school outing. However, last night the gates in the zoo were not closed properly. Now the animals are all over the place. The kids and animals need you! Help find the animals such as an elephant, a giraffe, a panda, a polar bear, a koala, a monkey, a crocodile, a kangaroo, and a camel and get them back where they belong.

      Reply
  10. Daniel says:
    August 25, 2018 at 11:40 pm

    I’m looking an old children’s book my mom had as a kid. she said it was “Lucky you to live in a zoo “. About a cat who wanted to live in a zoo

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      August 25, 2018 at 11:48 pm

      Put Me In the Zoo by Robert Lopshire.

      Reply

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