We loved how creative this family was at engineering animals for each letter of the alphabet.

Amazing illustrations! Trying to guess which animal at the zoo scares the youngest daughter, a super-creative family goes through the whole alphabet re-creating the animals with props and costumes from household items. What fun! ( )

wonderful illustrations and a great story about overcoming fears and respecting other people. ( )

This was fun. A family preparing to go to the zoo, help the youngest figure out what they are afraid of. ( )

Little T knows they were afraid of something the last time their family went to the zoo, but can't remember what it was...so the family goes through an animal for every letter of the alphabet, trying to jog T's memory. Their costumes are staggeringly creative (this book should have won every award for illustration), and the family's warmth and kindness are just as amazing - no one tries to hurry T, no one complains that they'll be late or miss their planned day out. Time passes visibly (they eat lunch, etc.) and by the end of the day T still doesn't remember what they were scared of, so the family decides to go to the zoo the next day...whereupon T's sister freaks out at the ticket-taker's big teased hair, peacock-feather earrings, and long red fingernails.

The way this family plays and invents together is inspiring, and their animal costumes are so creative, from a simple flamingo (the dad in a pink leotard and tutu and pink socks) to a truly elaborate rhinoceros (cobbled together from cardboard boxes and other recycled materials).

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Re-read July 2019 ( )