Animal Helpers - Zoos Paperback – September 10, 2013

The giraffe leaned forward to nuzzle a pumpkin filled with luscious snacks to nibble on. Where can anyone see animals such as the giraffe, rhinos, antelopes, polar bears, and other creatures normally seen in the wild? In the zoo of course. Many of the animals in zoos "are plentiful in the wild," but others are endangered and need the protection of zookeepers. In fact, the can actually "help conserve and protect an entire species." There are many things zookeepers do and perhaps you've even thought you'd like to be one when you grow up. If you love animals, it may just be something worth thinking about.You could help feed young animals, help them learn to walk on a leash, or you could even help "scrub a rhino's foot." There are animals who need rescuing and there are animals you would have to build homes for. You can see those fuzzy brown bears and that not-so-cuddly porcupine and he lounges in his little log cabin home. Do you know how to "create a cake for chimps and keep monkeys from being bored?" There are a lot of things you'd need to learn about in order to become a zookeeper. When it's hot out can you give a zoo animal a Popsicle? If you don't know the answer to that one, you'll know once you read this book!This is a fun, interesting book about zookeepers that will charm young readers. The layout is very vibrant with full-color, full-page photographs that often span two pages. In some instances, there are additional thumbnails that add to the story. Newly independent readers can tackle this beginning nonfiction book with a bit of assistance with unusual words such as "enrichment." In the back of the book are several activities, including some that can be downloaded and printed from the publisher's website. This would be an excellent book to read and discuss in the homeschool or classroom setting.Grades K - 2This book courtesy of the publisher.

When you were a child, did you ever consider working in a zoo? Or if you are now young, have you thought about it? When they were little, our boys loved zoos, and we visited quite a few of them, like those in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Toledo, OH; Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, and Lafayette, IN; Knoxville, TN; Tampa, FL; St. Louis, MO; Hershey, PA; and Chicago, IL; that I can think of offhand. Zoos are amazing places to see and learn about the many native and exotic animals that inhabit this world. Obviously, it takes a lot of individuals doing many different activities to maintain a zoo. They help protect, care for, and conserve wildlife. What are some of the jobs that are available for people who work in zoos? This photographic journal book in the Animal Helpers Series from Sylvan Dell Publishing highlights various kinds of workers in a zoo, including zookeepers, veterinarians, animal trainers, interns, and volunteers, and explains their duties in a fun and interesting way. There are luscious full-color, full-page photographs of many sorts of animals, such as a giraffe, a baby moose, chimpanzees, and a rhinoceros, among others—even a newborn snow leopard and a red panda. These pictures come from the Alaska, Austin, Maryland, and Turtle Back Zoos. The “For Creative Minds” educational section has four pages of learning activities, and there are more free activities at the publisher’s website. It would be an excellent book to read and discuss in a homeschool or classroom. Two other books are available in the Animal Helpers Series, Wildlife Rehabilitators and Sanctuaries, and two more are planned, Aquariums and Raptor Centers.

Fostering a love and appreciation for all animals has to start at a young age, and this book is a great introduction into the world of zoo animals and those that care for them. Definitely more than "just a picture book", the lovely photos of zoo animals within the pages of Animal Helpers: Zoos shouldn't be overlooked. Though there are some tough words for younger readers ("conservation" "enrichment"), this is a great read along book for kids and adults. And the "For Creative Minds" activities in the back make for a fun learning experience, for individuals or larger groups (classrooms, library, etc.) Younger children (pre-K) will enjoy the pictures; slightly older kids (grade school) will enjoy the look at the behind-the-scenes at the zoo, the chance to think about "what do I want to be when I grow up?" and the fun facts and trivia.

My twin daughters are 3 and enjoy this book for the beautiful animal photographs on every page. The engaging text leads to further discussion by asking questions instead of telling a story. I would have preferred the book to have been twice as long because in half of the pages there is a smaller inset photo of a different animal that the text refers to: for example, "Would you help a newborn snow leopard find his paw or scrub a rhino's foot?" There is a large photo of a rhino that takes up both pages and then a 3x5 inch^2 photo of a snow leopard. This is not a distraction to the 3 year olds but it would have made a nicer book.I received a copy of this book on Goodreads.